Jagan Mohan Reddy cancels visit to Tirupati temple amid row over animal fat in prasadam

Tirupati Laddu row: Earlier, YSRCP chief Jagan Mogan Reddy had said he would visit the temple as part of the statewide temple rituals called for by the party to atone for the 'sin' allegedly committed by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu through his allegations on Tirupati laddus.

In a significant development, YSRCP chief Jagan Reddy on Friday cancelled his visit to Tirupati temple amid 'animal fat' in laddu row in an effort to to avoid inconvenience to devotees. Ahead of his planned visit to the temple, the district police earlier in the day issued notice to several leaders and cadre of the party not to defy Section 30 of the Police Act which is in force.

"Section 30 of the Police Act which regulates public assemblies and processions is in force in the district. We have noticed several postings on social media platforms asking people to gather at certain places in Tirupati. The notices are nothing but cautioning them not to come and defy orders. Jagan Mohan Reddy may also be issued a notice at the airport not to defy prohibitory orders," the official told PTI.

The YSRCP chief had said he would visit the temple as part of the statewide temple rituals called for by the party to atone for the 'sin' allegedly committed by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu through his allegations on Tirupati laddus.

Reddy's appeal comes days after Chandrababu Naidu alleged that the previous YSRCP government used substandard ingredients and animal fat for making the laddus at Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati.

The allegations sparked a massive controversy across the country.

Earlier, YSRCP general secretary Gadikota Srikanth Reddy said several leaders of the party in Rayachoti in Annamayya District were warned by authorities not to venture out.

The YSRCP chief's planned visit to the temple to offer prayers on Saturday was to raise political temperatures in Andhra Pradesh as the ruling NDA is sticking to its guns on the demand that the former chief minister should declare his faith before entering the hill shrine.