“Adulterated Prasad Sent to Ram Mandir?”: Pawan Kalyan Triggers National Storm Over Tirupati Laddu Row

Amravati (AP): A major political and religious controversy has erupted after Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan made explosive allegations regarding the purity of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) laddus sent to Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir during the previous YSRCP government’s tenure. The claims have sent shockwaves across the country, raising serious questions about faith, governance, and accountability.

Addressing the issue publicly, Pawan Kalyan alleged that close to one lakh TTD laddus, dispatched to Ayodhya during the Ram Mandir inauguration period, were not prepared using pure ghee, as mandated by long-standing temple tradition. He questioned whether the prasadam sent to one of Hinduism’s most sacred new shrines was part of the same batch later found to be adulterated.

“On a day when the entire nation was celebrating, were impure laddus sent in the name of devotion?” Kalyan asked, calling the episode a betrayal of devotees’ faith.

According to Kalyan, internal investigations revealed that the laddus in question were allegedly prepared without using ghee at all. Instead, he claimed that inferior substitutes such as vegetable fats and vanaspati were used in massive quantities. He described the scale of the issue as alarming, stating that millions of laddus may have been produced using these materials and distributed to devotees across the country.

The allegations gained further traction after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu also targeted the previous YSRCP government, accusing it of damaging the sanctity of major temples. Naidu alleged that chemically adulterated substances, including low-grade fats, were used in temple prasadam during the previous regime.

Speaking at a public event in Kurnool district, Naidu said the issue was not limited to Tirupati alone but extended to other major temples as well. He cited findings from official reports to claim that cheaper alternatives were used instead of traditional ingredients, allegedly to cut costs.

Naidu also rejected claims by YSRCP leaders that a special investigation had cleared them of wrongdoing. He asserted that statements made by individuals close to the former administration contradicted those claims and warranted deeper scrutiny.

The controversy has intensified political tensions in Andhra Pradesh, with opposition leaders demanding full transparency in procurement processes, quality checks, and decision-making during the previous government’s tenure. For millions of devotees, the issue goes beyond politics, striking at the heart of religious trust and the sanctity of sacred offerings.