BJP Leader Bhanuprakash Reddy Condemns Use of Animal Fat in Tirupati Prasadam

Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], September 20: BJP leader and former TTD Board Member, Bhanuprakash Reddy, has condemned the alleged use of animal fat in the sacred sweets known as ‘Tirupati Prasadam’ at the Sri Venkateswara Temple. He announced plans to file a complaint against the previous YSRCP government led by former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Bhanuprakash Reddy stated that during Jagan Mohan Reddy’s tenure from 2019 to 2024, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) used pure cow ghee to prepare the laddu prasadam. However, it was later adulterated with vegetable oil and animal fat. He expressed sadness and condemned the issue, accusing Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government of intentionally harming the sentiments of Hindu pilgrims.

Bhanuprakash Reddy said, “After Balaji darshan, pilgrims used to have that laddu–the prasad of Balaji. During the tenure of Jagan Mohan Reddy, from 2019 to 2024, TTD used pure cow ghee to prepare laddu. For this, 14 tonnes of cow ghee was used daily for making laddu prasadam. Unfortunately, that was adulterated. We got a report that vegetable oil and animal fat were mixed in it.”

He added, “It is a very bad thing that happened in the history of Tirumala. We are very sad and we condemn the issue. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government wantedly damaged the sentiment of Hindu pilgrims, especially Balaji’s devotees. We are filing a complaint against Jagan Mohan Reddy, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy, Y.V. Subba Reddy and the then Executive Officer Dharma Reddy. Right now, we are using pure cow ghee for making laddu prasadam.”

Earlier, a spokesperson of the ruling TDP shared a copy of the “lab report” and alleged that “beef tallow and animal fat–lard, and fish oil–were used in the preparation of ghee, which was supplied to Tirumala.” TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy said on Thursday that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu “had stated yesterday that animal fat was used as one of the ingredients for the preparation of ghee, which was supplied to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam.”

He added, “The lab reports of samples which were sent for testing to National Dairy Development Board in Gujarat certify that beef tallow and animal fat, lard, and fish oil were used in the preparation of ghee which was supplied to Tirumala and also the S value is only 19.7…This is an affront to Hindu religion…The ‘prasadam’ which is offered to the Lord thrice a day has been mixed with this ghee..”

Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu made a startling allegation on Wednesday and alleged that the previous YSR Congress-led by Jagan Mohan Reddy had used animal fat in consecrated sweets–‘Tirupati Prasadam’ instead of ‘Ghee’ at Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati. In a post on X, Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh shared a video clip of his father, CM Naidu, addressing a gathering and wrote, “The Lord Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Tirumala is our most sacred temple. I am shocked to learn that the ysjagan administration used animal fat instead of ghee in the Tirupati Prasadam.”

He added, “Shame on ysjagan and the ysrcparty government that couldn’t respect the religious sentiments of crores of devotees.”

The Tirupati temple is devoted to Lord Venkateswara, a manifestation of Lord Vishnu who is believed to have come to earth to deliver humanity from the trials and tribulations of the Kali Yuga. As a result, the location has been given the name Kaliyuga Vaikuntha, and the deity is known as Kaliyuga Prathyaksha Daivam.

The NDA alliance, including the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Jana Sena (JS), and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), came to power in Andhra Pradesh earlier this year following a landslide victory in the assembly polls. The alliance ousted the YSCRP government led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.