Pawan Kalyan targets Jagan, questions silence on TTD Board

Vijayawada: Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Tuesday sharpened the attack on former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy during a short discussion in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly on the alleged use of adulterated ghee in the preparation of Tirumala laddu prasadam.

Pawan questioned why Jagan was “shielding” members of the then Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board.

“It would have been enough if he had said an investigation should be conducted and action taken,” Pawan said. “If you are holding them back, then are you not involved?”

He accused the YSRCP of misleading the public by claiming there were no chemicals in the ghee used for Srivari laddu prasadam. “That is why they are now forced to give explanations,” he said.

The Deputy CM alleged that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) had concluded there was a conspiracy behind the supply of adulterated ghee. He claimed tender rules were relaxed to award contracts to favoured firms and said the then TTD governing body failed to discharge its responsibility. “We are not accusing blindly. The lapse occurred during the tenure of the board appointed then,” he said.

Referring to investigation findings, Pawan said the NDDB report indicated the presence of animal-related substances in the ghee. He also cited the CBI-monitored SIT probe, stating that the report concluded the product supplied was not genuine ghee.

He alleged that laddus were prepared using the adulterated ghee and claimed that about one lakh such laddus were sent to Ayodhya. “Only Srivari knows what was mixed in that ghee,” he said, adding that anyone found guilty must face strict punishment. “If something like this had happened to any other religion, the entire country would have reacted strongly,” he said.