Tirupati laddu row: TDP hails Supreme Court decision on forming independent SIT

NEW DELHI: The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has hailed the Supreme Court's decision to constitute an independent special investigation team (SIT) to conduct probe into allegations of use of animal fat in making Tirupati laddus.
TDP spokesperson Pattabhiram Kommareddy expressed support for the move, stressing that the state government's priority is to uncover the truth and hold accountable those who have tampered with the sentiments of millions of devotees of Lord Venkateswara Swamy.
'A matter of faith, not politics'
"We fully support the Supreme Court's directive. This is not a political issue but a matter of faith for millions of Hindus around the world. The culprits must be punished severely for playing with the emotions of crores of devotees," said Pattabhiram in a statement.
SIT to Include CBI, AP Police, and FSSAI
The Supreme Court, on Friday, announced that the SIT would include two officers each from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Andhra Pradesh Police, along with a senior official from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The probe will be overseen by the director of the CBI.
Pattabhiram expressed hope that the SIT would conduct a swift and thorough investigation. He also noted that the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the governing body of the Sri Venkateswara temple, has now begun sourcing pure cow ghee for the preparation of laddus, and the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) will establish a lab at Tirumala to ensure there is no adulteration in the ingredients.
How the row erupted
These developments come after Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, during a recent NDA legislative party meeting, accused the previous YSRCP government of using substandard ingredients, including animal fats, in the laddus served at the sacred temple. These allegations have caused widespread outrage, deeply affecting the religious sentiments of millions of Hindus across the globe.
(With agency inputs)