‘Every Hindu needs to wake up’: BJP’s Kompella Madhavi Latha on Tirupati laddu row

Amid the Tirumala Prasadam controversy, BJP leader Kompella Madhavi Latha on Friday said every Hindu in India needs to wake up. The saffron party leader from Hyderabad said though God can never be impure, the people's ‘aastha’ (faith) has become impure.

Speaking to PTI, Latha said that thousands of devotees come to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam from far away to seek blessings, and it has been insulted and made impure.

“Every Hindu of India needs to wake up. In the south, there is Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam which many people know as Lord Balaji. Many devotees come there from far away to seek blessings. It has been insulted and made impure. God can never be impure but our ‘aastha’ has become impure,” Latha said.

Earlier on Thursday, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Human Resources Development Nara Lokesh posted a video clip on social media in which Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu was seen alleging that “animal fat” and substandard ingredients were used instead of ‘ghee’ to make the famous Tirupati laddu during the Jagan Mohan Reddy government's time.

Naidu asserted that pure ghee was now being used, and everything had been sanitised at the temple, leading to improved quality.

In a post on X, Andhra Minister Nara Lokesh said that he was shocked by the findings and added, "The Lord Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Tirumala is our most sacred temple. I am shocked to learn that the YS Jagan administration used animal fat instead of ghee in the Tirupati Prasadam."

"Shame on YS Jagan and the YSR party government that couldn't respect the religious sentiments of crores of devotees," the minister added.

However, the Jagan-led YSRC party has denied the charges.

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister JP Nadda today said he sought a full report on the Tirupati Laddu issue from the Andhra Pradesh government, adding the government will take suitable action after examining the report.

"I have spoken to Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu after getting information about this and took details from him. I have asked him to share the available report so that I can examine it. I will also speak to the state regulators and investigate this. Suitable action will be taken as per the food safety standards. As of now, I have asked for the report and we will examine it," Nadda said.