Tirumala desecrated by YSRCP government; sanitization work has started: CM Chandrababu Naidu

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N Chandrababu Naidu, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh has alleged that the previous Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) government had profaned Tirumala, the home to renowned Sri Venkateshwara Swamy temple, he also mentioned that the sanitisation process has already began, PTI reported.

Naidu further claimed that poor-quality food was served to the Tirumala devotees by the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy- led government in an attempt to both diminish the sacredness and offend its followers.

"After finding the evidence that substandard ingredients were used to make prasadam (consecrated food), we will take stringent action against the people responsible for it," said Naidu in a press release, cited by PTI.

According to PTI, His comments came on the sidelines of inaugurating the Anna Canteen at the secretariat, the canteen offers subsidised meals for low-income individuals.

The Chief Minister claimed that the YSRCP government had completely desecrated the deity Sri Venkateswara Swamy, one of the most revered Gods among the Hindus.

Meanwhile, IT Minister Nara Lokesh asserted that the YSRCP government was responsible for a decline in the quality of Tirupati laddu and "annadanam," which is freely provided to devotees of Tirumala.

"Corruption was done unlike any other time before. As part of that, adulterated ghee was used. Immediately after the NDA government was formed, a new executive officer (EO) was appointed and all the powers were vested in the EO to sanitise the entire system to ensure that earlier irregularities do not recur," Lokesh told PTI reporters at Renigunta Airport.

He stated that as part of that action, ghee, rice, and all vegetables were tested in accordance with Naidu's instructions to preserve quality, and that the EO particularly sent ghee samples to the NDDB lab, the findings of which were released today.

"Very clearly it was established in the report that lard, beef fat and fish oil were there. If Chandrababu Naidu says something, he will back it up with evidence..." added Lokesh in his statement to PTI.