In a shocking revelation, a central government lab’s test report indicated that the cow ghee procured by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) contained traces of fish oil, beef tallow, and lard(pig fat). The presence of animal fat in Tirumala prasadam devastated Hindus across India, perhaps the faithful globally. What made Jagan Mohan Reddy regime trifle with the sacred offerings made to Lord Balaji? TDP sources insist it was all because the YSRCP leader was a Christian with no faith in Tirumala that is why he dared to undermine it. “He would never come for any traditional darshan along with his wife. He had no faith. He just wanted to undermine Hindus,” said a TDP leader. Or else why would naivedyam offered to Lord Balaji at Tirupati for nearly half century, prepared in Nandini cow ghee supplied by Karnataka Milk Producers Federation (KMF) be discontinued by state-controlled TTD on price issues. TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy said “Since the quality ghee cost over Rs 1000 per kg, the TTD offered to buy ghee at the rate of Rs 320. They awarded contracts to four suppliers. Is there anyone who can provide quality ghee for Rs 320? They gave tenders for 15,000 kg of ghee for bribes.” Incidentally, KMF has resumed supplying its famous Nandini Ghee to prepare Srivari Laddus. TDP sources said contamination of prasadam was revealed as soon as newly-elected chief minister Chandrababu Naidu launched a vigilance probe to begin cleansing of “Andhra from Tirumala.”. “Even while we were in the Opposition, we used to get complaints about the food from the pilgrims and how the quality of laddus had fallen,” said a TDP leader. Apparently contaminated samples confirming the presence of animal fat in the ghee used by the TTD to make laddus were supplied by a Chennai-based trader.