Tirupati laddu row: Jagan must allow law to take its own course, says Pawan Kalyan

Amaravati, Sept 23 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Monday said there is no need for former Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy to defend himself over the Tirupati laddu adulteration controversy and allow the system (law) to take its own course in punishing the culprits.

The Deputy CM's remarks come in the wake of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu recently claiming that the previous YSRCP government did not even spare Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple and used substandard ingredients and animal fats for making the popular Tirupati laddus, known for their unique taste.

"He (Reddy) being an ex-chief minister, he could have just said go ahead, whoever the perpetrators or culprits are, let them get punished. If he is very clean in his heart, there is no need to do all this drama. That's what I feel," Kalyan told PTI Videos at Janasena party office in Mangalagiri.

The actor-politician noted that these alleged irregularities had occurred under the watch of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Board constituted by Reddy.

TTD is the official custodian of Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati.

Observing that he was not blaming Reddy, Kalyan pointed out that under his supervision the alleged laddu irregularities had occurred and, for that simple reason, the former should allow the system under the new NDA government to take its own course.

The chief minister on Sunday announced a Special Investigation Team to probe the alleged use of animal fat in Tirupati laddus.

While Naidu, who has blamed the previous YSRCP government, alleged that several procedures to procure ghee by the TTD were altered under its rule, Jagan Mohan Reddy accused him of being a "habitual liar" and wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging his intervention. PTI