Patna (Bihar): Amid a row over the use of animal fat in making famed Tirupati laddus during the YSRCP regime in Andhra Pradesh, CPI's National Council Secretary K Narayana has said that the Supreme Court should take cognizance of the matter and order a probe into it.
"When the YSRCP government decided to change the supplier of ghee, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Board should have tested the ghee used to make laddus, but they did not do it. Lakhs of devotees visit the Balaji temple daily and eat the Prasad. This revelation has hurt their feelings. The devotees have said that they feel hurt," said K Narayana.
Narayana also lashed out at the TTD and the previous Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government in Andhra Pradesh. "The initial company which used to supply ghee charged Rs 1,000 per kilo but then by which rationale ghee was brought at Rs 330. This needs to be investigated and the matter should not be politicised," he added.
"We demand that the apex court should take cognizance of the matter and form a committee. It should take action against the culprits," he added.
The controversy began after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said on Wednesday that animal fat was used to make the sought-after laddoos given as 'prasad' by the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati under the previous YSR Congress government. The state government then cited a report by a Gujarat laboratory which stated that the ghee used in the laddoos contained traces of beef tallow, fish oil, and lard (pig fat).
The Centre has also sought a report in this regard while a petition letter has been written to Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud.
