Amul Clarifies: No Ghee Supplied to Tirumala Temple Amid Controversy
New Delhi, India – Amid a controversy over the use of animal fat in prasada at Tirumala temple in Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati district, Amul clarified on Friday that it had never supplied ghee to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD). Amul posted a statement on social media platform X, stating, ‘We wish to inform that we have never supplied Amul Ghee to TTD.’
Amul further clarified that their ghee is made from high-quality pure milk fat at ISO-certified facilities, with stringent quality checks as specified by FSSAI.
Chief Minister’s Claims
This clarification came after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu claimed that substandard ingredients, including animal fat, were used in the preparation of Tirupati laddus during the previous YSRCP government.
Political Reactions
Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy accused the TDP of politicizing religious matters, stating that the tender process for ghee suppliers is stringent and unchanged for decades. He mentioned that products are rejected if they do not meet quality standards.
Union Health Minister’s Involvement
Union Health Minister JP Nadda spoke to CM Naidu and requested a full report on the issue. He assured that the Centre would examine the matter and take suitable action based on food safety standards.
Further Actions
YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy announced that he would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, claiming that CM Naidu had twisted the facts.
Lab Reports
TDP MP Sribharat Mathukumilli stated that lab reports indicated the presence of non-milk fats, including beef and pig fat, in the ghee used for Tirupati laddus, causing distress among devotees.
Doubts Revealed
Amul -: Amul is a famous Indian dairy company known for products like milk, butter, and cheese.
Ghee -: Ghee is a type of clarified butter used in Indian cooking and religious rituals.
Tirumala Temple -: Tirumala Temple is a famous Hindu temple located in Andhra Pradesh, India, dedicated to Lord Venkateswara.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) -: TTD is the organization that manages the Tirumala Temple and its activities.
Prasada -: Prasada is food offered to a deity during worship and then distributed to devotees.
Andhra Pradesh -: Andhra Pradesh is a state in the southeastern part of India.
CM Chandrababu Naidu -: Chandrababu Naidu is a politician who has served as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
YSRCP -: YSRCP stands for Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party, a political party in Andhra Pradesh.
Former CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy -: YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is a politician who served as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh before Chandrababu Naidu.
TDP -: TDP stands for Telugu Desam Party, another political party in Andhra Pradesh.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda -: JP Nadda is a politician who has served as the Health Minister of India.
TDP MP Sribharat Mathukumilli -: Sribharat Mathukumilli is a Member of Parliament from the Telugu Desam Party.
Lab reports -: Lab reports are scientific documents that show the results of tests conducted in a laboratory.
Non-milk fats -: Non-milk fats are fats that do not come from milk, which can be of lower quality or different origin.
Tirupati laddus -: Tirupati laddus are sweet balls made of flour, sugar, and ghee, offered as prasada at the Tirumala Temple.
