Fri Sep 20 12:53:07 UTC 2024: ## Tirupati Laddu Controversy: Union Minister Calls for Investigation into Allegations of Animal Fat Use

**New Delhi, September 20, 2024** – Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi has called for an investigation into allegations made by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu regarding the use of animal fat in Tirupati laddus, a claim that has raised concerns among devotees.

The controversy erupted after Naidu claimed during a legislative party meeting on Wednesday that the previous Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government had used substandard ingredients, including animal fat, in the production of the famous Tirupati laddus.

Further fueling the controversy, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy presented a purported lab report from a Gujarat-based livestock laboratory, claiming it confirmed the presence of beef tallow, lard and fish oil in ghee samples provided by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple.

While the lab report, dated July 16, 2024, was presented as evidence, neither the Andhra Pradesh government nor the TTD has officially confirmed its authenticity. YSRCP leaders have vehemently denied the allegations.

Responding to the controversy, Minister Joshi stated, “Whatever the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister has said is a matter of serious concern. A detailed enquiry is required and the culprit should be punished.”

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, who was also present at the global food regulators summit, has pledged to address the issue during a press conference later today.

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