*Stop maligning Tirumala, apologise to devotees: Karumuri*

Bhimavaram, Feb 8: YSRCP Regional Coordinator and former minister Karumuri Venkata Nageswara Rao demanded that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan apologise to devotees for false propaganda that animal fat was used in Tirumala laddu ghee. Speaking to the media in Bhimavaram at the residence of party leader Chinamilli Venkata Rayudu, he said the CBI-SIT chargesheet clearly established that no beef tallow, pork fat, or fish oil was found in the ghee used for laddu preparation, and accused coalition leaders of dragging Lord Venkateswara and Tirumala’s sanctity into politics for electoral gain. He stated that even after the SIT findings, misleading campaigns continue to damage the temple’s reputation and hurt devotees’ sentiments. Rao questioned why leaders claiming to protect Sanatana Dharma were not acting against illegal slaughter activities in places like Tanuku and large-scale beef seizures in Visakhapatnam, despite public complaints. He said repeated attempts to target YSRCP leaders were politically motivated, noting that names of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Y.V. Subba Reddy, and other former TTD chairmen do not appear in the chargesheet, yet their images are being used in public displays to defame them. He further argued that the controversy is being used to divert attention from governance failures, rising public dissatisfaction, and unfulfilled promises. Rao also questioned why leaders were silent on quality concerns raised in central inspections regarding private dairy products, and asked whether invoking religion for political battles reflects true devotion. He maintained that YSRCP leaders had sought investigations themselves and were ready for any inquiry, asserting that baseless allegations and sensational claims should stop and that faith should not be exploited for politics.