Devotee Alleges Presence of Tobacco in Tirupati Laddu, Shares Video Amid Animal Fat Controversy

A devotee has claimed to have discovered tobacco wrapped in paper inside a laddu offered as prasadam at the renowned Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati. This incident follows previous allegations regarding the presence of animal fat in the laddus, which sparked significant political controversy in Andhra Pradesh.

Donthu Padmavati, a resident of Khammam district, said she discovered the tobacco after her visit to the Tirupati temple on September 19. Like other devotees, Padmavati brought back the prasadam to share with her family and neighbours.

“As I was about to distribute the laddu, I was horrified to find pieces of tobacco wrapped in a small paper,” Padmavati shared, expressing her anguish. “The prasadam is supposed to be sacred, and to find such contamination is heartbreaking,” she further said.

The revelation has sent shockwaves among the lakhs of Tirupati devotees, coming on the heels of allegations that animal fat was found in the ghee used in the preparation of the laddus. The Tirupati laddu, a much-revered offering, has long been a symbol of purity and devotion for millions of pilgrims. However, these recent claims have led to growing doubts about the quality control measures in place at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the trust responsible for managing the temple.

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WHAT IS THE CONTROVERSY OF TIRUPATI?

The controversy gained attention after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu recently alleged that low-quality ingredients, including animal fat, were found in the laddus offered as prasad at the Tirupati temple during the tenure of the previous Jagan Mohan Reddy government.

Citing a private lab report from Gujarat, Naidu claimed that “beef tallow,” “lard” (pig fat), and fish oil were found in the ghee used in the laddus. However, former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy dismissed these accusations, asserting that no such violations occurred during his administration. He further accused Naidu of “playing politics in the name of God,” and labeled him “a pathological and habitual liar.”

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