'Naidu spreading lies', Jagan Reddy writes to PM amid laddu row

Dubbing the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister as a “habitual liar”, YSR Congress chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to reprimand Chandrababu Naidu over the Tirupati laddu adulteration issue.

In a letter addressed to PM Modi, Jagan alleged that CM Chandrababu Naidu has stooped so low as to hurt the beliefs of crores of people purely for political objectives.

Detailing the process undertaken at Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) the custodian of the super-rich shrine of Sri Venkateswara Swamy for accepting ghee, in an eight-page letter, Jagan alleged that Naidu's actions lowered not only the stature of CM but also that of everyone in public life, the sanctity of TTD and its practices.

“Sir, the entire country looks to you at this crucial juncture. It is very imperative that Mr Naidu be reprimanded in the severest way for his shameless act of spreading lies and the truth be brought to light. Sir, this would help allay the suspicions that Mr Naidu has created in the minds of crores of Hindu devotees and restore their faith in sanctity of TTD,” Jagan wrote in his letter.

Explaining the sequence of events, he said it is crucial to note that the ghee allegedly adulterated was rejected and not allowed to enter the premises of TTD. However, Naidu with malafide intention raised the issue at a political party meeting on September 18.

During an NDA legislative party meeting a few days ago, the TDP supremo claimed that the previous YSRCP government did not even spare Sri Venkateswara temple and used substandard ingredients and animal fat for making laddus.

Two days later on September 20, TTD Executive Officer J Shyamala Rao in a press conference said Lab tests had revealed the presence of animal fat and lard in chosen samples and the board is in the process of blacklisting the contractor who supplied “adulterated” ghee.