Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) [India], February 19 : YSR Congress Party Andhra Pradesh MLC M Ravindranath on Thursday demanded that the facts regarding the Tirumala laddu prasadam controversy be made public to identify who benefited from the issue.
Talking to the media in Vijayawada, the MLC M Ravindranath said, "We want the issue to be resolved and clarify the facts. We need to know who benefited... The government is not coming forward... We will present all the evidence and reports from the CBI and medical... We will also open financial statements, including the tie-ups of the Heritage company with the ghee firms..."
Meanwhile, Legislative Council Opposition Leader Botsa Satyanarayana strongly criticised Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, alleging that the latter was indulging in corruption and misleading propaganda by dragging the sacred Tirumala laddu prasadam into political discourse.
Addressing the media, he said Chandrababu's earlier allegations that animal and pig fat were found in laddu ghee were made purely for political gain and have been proven false by the Supreme Court-monitored CBI-SIT report. He accused the Chief Minister of not sparing even temple offerings in pursuit of financial gain and said, "God would not forgive a conspiracy done to benefit private interests."
According to the release, Botsa alleged that the ghee that was earlier procured at about Rs 320 per kg is now being supplied at around Rs 700 per kg through Indapur Dairy, which he said has links with Chandrababu's "own heritage company, resulting in a doubling of price and looting of public money."
He demanded an open discussion on the corruption behind the jump from Rs 320 to Rs 700 and questioned why the government was avoiding debate if it had nothing to hide. He said the entire laddu controversy and adulteration narrative were baseless accusations created by Chandrababu and that the SIT findings have now exposed these as lies, as stated in the release.
He further criticised the state budget as hollow and diversionary, saying it contains no real benefits for farmers, students, youth, the unemployed, or any section of society, and does not reflect implementation of the promised "Super Six" guarantees.