Andhra CM Naidu says ‘sanitisation’ process of Tirumala has begun

Says the previous govt served substandard food to devotees to not only undermine its holiness but also hurt their sentiments

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday alleged that the erstwhile YSRCP government had desecrated Tirumala, the abode of world-renowned Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple, but noted the sanitisation process has already begun.

The Chief Minister alleged that YS Jaganmohan Reddy-led government had served substandard food to the Tirumala devotees to not only undermine its holiness but also hurt the devotees’ sentiments.

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“After finding the evidence that substandard ingredients were used to make prasadam (consecrated food), we will take stringent action against the people responsible for it,” said Naidu in a press release.

He made these comments on the sidelines of inaugurating an Anna Canteen at the Secretariat. Anna Canteens offer subsidised meals for poor people. The Chief Minister said Tirumala deity Sri Venkateswara Swamy is one of the most revered Gods for the Hindus and alleged that the YSRCP government had completely desecrated it.

Meanwhile, IT Minister Nara Lokesh alleged that the quality of annadanam (free food for Tirumala devotees) and Tirupati laddu diminished under the YSRCP government.

“Corruption was done unlike any other time before. As part of that, adulterated ghee was used. Immediately after the NDA government was formed, a new executive officer (EO) was appointed and all the powers were vested in the EO to sanitise the entire system to ensure that earlier irregularities do not recur,” Lokesh said at Renigunta Airport.

As part of that endeavour, he said that ghee, rice and all vegetables were tested following Naidu’s directives to maintain quality while the EO specifically dispatched ghee samples to the NDDB lab, whose results were disseminated today.

“Very clearly it was established in the report that lard, beef fat and fish oil were there. If Chandrababu Naidu says something, he will back it up with evidence. That’s why he said it yesterday and today we disseminated the evidence,” added Lokesh.