Diversion politics in the name of Tirumala Laddu

Visakhapatnam, Feb 10: YSRCP Visakhapatnam district president K.K. Raju criticised Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan for playing “distorted politics” in the name of the Tirumala laddu issue to divert attention from governance failures and unfulfilled election promises. Addressing the media at the party’s district office in Visakhapatnam, he said the coalition has been hurting the sentiments of Lord Venkateswara’s devotees for over a year and warned that Chandrababu would have to pay a price for what he called a sustained misinformation campaign around Tirumala. He alleged that instead of apologizing after CBI-SIT findings contradicted earlier claims about animal fat, the coalition continued to shift narratives and spread new allegations.
K.K. Raju questioned how ghee tankers rejected by TTD during Chandrababu’s tenure re-entered through back channels and asked why permissions and bulk orders were given earlier to suppliers like Bhole Baba Dairy at low rates, including a reported 82,000 kg order in April 2019 at Rs. 291 per kg. He also pointed out that ghee purchases at rates as low as Rs. 273 per kg occurred during Chandrababu’s earlier term and said the very samples under CBI-SIT scrutiny were drawn after Chandrababu became Chief Minister. He argued that instead of conducting institutional inquiries and allowing the law to take its course, the Chief Minister chose public allegations and media campaigns that, according to him, damaged the temple’s reputation and devotees’ faith. Calling this diversionary politics, he urged the public and religious leaders to question attempts to politicize a sensitive religious matter and said the people would ultimately hold the coalition accountable.