Kurnool: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday alleged that a systematic attempt was made to damage the sanctity and reputation of Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy by preparing Laddu prasadam using adulterated ghee. He claimed that for nearly five years, laddus were prepared with chemically adulterated ghee, including substances allegedly used for cleaning bathrooms. Such actions, he said, not only hurt the religious sentiments of devotees but also aimed at discrediting the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), one of the most revered religious institutions in the country.

The Chief Minister rejected claims that there was no adulteration, stating that while some leaders cite clean chits allegedly given by the CBI and SIT, even a close relative of the accused—Subba Reddy—had acknowledged that adulteration had indeed taken place. Chandrababu Naidu said he took corrective steps to restore the purity of the prasadam after TTD was “defiled” by such practices. He also pointed out a clear difference between the quality of laddus distributed in the past and those being offered now, asserting that devotees themselves could notice the change.

Criticising what he termed as “political showmanship,” the Chief Minister alleged that in the name of consolatory visits, deliberate inconvenience was caused to the public, citing instances where travel to Guntur took up to six hours and other vehicles were restricted, causing hardship to commuters. He further referred to past incidents involving aggressive convoy movements and acts of intimidation, stating that such displays of strength should be limited to election campaigns, not public life. “Instead of fighting for people’s issues, they are indulging in power demonstrations for political gains,” he said, adding that he knows well how to counter such politics.