YSRCP Urges Devotees to Join Poojas to Restore Tirumala’s Sanctity
Amaravathi (Andhra Pradesh) [India], September 25: The Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) has called on devotees across Andhra Pradesh to participate in temple poojas on Saturday, September 28th. The aim is to restore the sanctity of Tirumala, which the party claims was tarnished by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
YSRCP Chief and Former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy used the social media platform X to urge people to stand against the false claims made by Chandrababu Naidu. Naidu had allegedly spread misinformation, claiming that Tirumala’s sacred laddu prasadam was adulterated with animal fat, misleading devotees and tarnishing the revered image of Lord Venkateswara.
The YSRCP stated that this act, driven by political motives, deeply hurt the sentiments of devotees. In response, the party is calling for participation in temple poojas on September 28th to purify Tirumala’s sacredness and restore the honour of Lord Venkateswara’s Prasadam.
YS Jagan Mohan Reddy wrote, “The sanctity of Tirumala, the significance of Swami’s prasadam, the glory of Lord Venkateswara, the fame of TTD, and the sacredness of the laddu prasadam of Lord Venkateswara were all defiled by Chandrababu Naidu, who, with political malice, deliberately spread lies that the prasadam was adulterated with animal fat and that devotees had consumed such tainted prasadam. In order to cleanse this sin committed by Chandrababu Naidu, the YSRCP is calling for participation in Poojas across temples statewide on Saturday, September 28th.”
On Tuesday, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) clarified that the rumour about the presence of a tobacco pouch in the sacred Laddu Prasadam is “untrue.” According to the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO), TTD stated that “it is inappropriate for some devotees to spread such claims on social media about the presence of a tobacco pouch in Srivari Laddu Prasadam. The Laddus in Tirumala are being prepared by Sri Vaishnava Brahmins with utmost devotion, dedication, and strict adherence to the rules, preparing lakhs of Laddus every day,” the Temple Authority said.
The temple authority also mentioned that the laddus are prepared under “CCTV surveillance.” “It is unfortunate to spread such misinformation about a well-organised system of Laddu preparation. Devotees are requested to take note of this,” the Temple Authority added.
The controversy over the Tirupati Prasadam began after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu claimed that substandard ingredients, including animal fat, were used in the preparation of Tirupati laddus, the Prasdam offered at the Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati, during the previous YSRCP government.
Doubts Revealed
YSRCP -: YSRCP stands for Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party. It is a political party in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
Devotees -: Devotees are people who are very dedicated to their religion and often visit temples to pray and perform rituals.
Poojas -: Poojas are religious ceremonies or rituals performed by Hindus to worship their gods and goddesses.
Sanctity -: Sanctity means the state of being holy or sacred. In this context, it refers to keeping the temple pure and respected.
Tirumala -: Tirumala is a hill town in Andhra Pradesh, famous for the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, a very important Hindu temple.
YS Jagan Mohan Reddy -: YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and the leader of the YSRCP.
Chief Minister -: The Chief Minister is the head of the government in an Indian state, similar to a principal in a school but for the whole state.
Chandrababu Naidu -: Chandrababu Naidu is a politician and the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. He is from a different political party called TDP.
Laddu prasadam -: Laddu prasadam is a sweet offered to the gods in Hindu temples and then distributed to devotees as a blessing.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) -: TTD is an organization that manages the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple and other temples in the Tirupati area.
Rumours -: Rumours are unverified pieces of information that people spread, which may or may not be true.