'Truth Must Come Out': Congress' Sharmila Demands CBI Inquiry In Letter To Amit Shah Over Tirupati Laddoo Row

Amid the ongoing controversy over the use of animal fat in Tirupati laddoo prasadam, Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Y.S. Sharmila said that she has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding a CBI inquiry into the matter.

“I have written to Home Minister Amit Shah demanding CBI enquiry,” Sharmila told CNN-News18 in an interview.

She further asserted that the demand for a CBI inquiry was made because the “Congress wants the truth to come out, as this issue affects crores of people.”

Calling the feud between former Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy and current Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu over the ongoing controversy “appalling,” Sharmila, who is also Jagan’s sister, remarked, “Mud slugging happening between Jagan and Chandrababu Naidu.”

In a post on X, Sharmila confirmed that the Andhra Pradesh Congress Party has submitted a formal letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs, addressed to Amit Shah, “Requesting an immediate CBI inquiry into the serious allegations concerning the adulteration of ghee, used in the preparation of the sacred laddu prasad at the Tirumala temple, with beef tallow and fish oil.”

She further wrote, “Given the profound religious sentiments of millions of devotees across the nation, this matter warrants thorough investigation. Should the allegations, supported by the initial sample reports, be substantiated, it is imperative that those responsible face stringent punishment to prevent any recurrence of adulteration in the future.”

The Congress leader also shared the letter addressed to the Union Home Minister along with her post.

What is the row about?

The controversy began after Naidu accused the previous YSRCP government of using substandard ingredients, including animal fat, in the preparation of the Tirupati laddoos, a sacred sweet offered at the Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati.

The TDP leader made these claims during an NDA legislature party meeting earlier this week, stating, “Even Tirumala laddu was made with substandard ingredients…they used animal fat instead of ghee.”

In response, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), led by Jagan Mohan Reddy, has strongly denied these allegations. Earlier today, Jagan asserted that no violations happened under his government and that the entire controversy is unwarranted.

He claimed that Naidu’s allegations of ghee adulteration in the Tirupati laddoos were an attempt to divert attention from his own 100 days of governance in Andhra Pradesh.

Accusing Naidu of engaging in petty politics in the name of religion, the former CM noted that the ghee used for the laddoos is sourced from NABL-certified companies and is thoroughly tested. He added that the process of ghee procurement is completely transparent.