No politician is a saint. And Chandrababu Naidu, in his decades-long political career, has committed his share of sins. But the charade which he is orchestrating around the Tirumala-Tirupati temple’s prasadam is perhaps the most repugnant act of his public life. Steeped in accusations of heresy and blasphemy, bereft of evidence, and designed to incite sectarian hysteria, it is a spectacle worthy of an atavistic theocracy. Those who have known Naidu, who believed that there were red lines he would never cross, are flabbergasted by his swift transformation into peninsular India’s most potent trafficker of communalism.
The allegations themselves are collapsing under the burden of their contradictions. As ThePrint’s Prasad Nichenametla reported on 21 September, the supposedly adulterated ghee arrived at the temple between 6 and 12 July, well after Naidu was ensconced in the chief minister’s office. Shyamala Rao, the head of the powerful trust that manages the temple and a Naidu appointee, has stated categorically that the ghee suspected to be contaminated was never used in the making of Tirupati’s fabled laddu.
What happened, instead, is this: containers of the dubious fat were returned to the supplier after their contents failed the taste test, and samples from the rejected stock were dispatched to specialist laboratories for inspection. The resultant reports appear to be the basis of the assertion, as Naidu’s son phrased it, that “the Jagan administration used animal fat instead of ghee in the Tirupati Prasadam. Shame on Jagan and the YSRCP government that couldn’t respect the religious sentiments of crores of devotees.” Given the sequence of events and the paltry evidence at hand, only a phenomenally stupid person could fall for this transparently jaundiced characterisation.
Naturally, Rahul Gandhi fell for it and proceeded, without taking the trouble to verify the facts, to decry the “defilement” of the prasadam at Tirupati—even though, as Rao confirmed, nothing of the sort had occurred. So uniquely challenged is our leader of the Opposition that he cannot come to the defence of India’s religious minorities without giving succour to designated pro-Khalistan terrorists who wish to annihilate them, and he cannot rise to reassure sections of its religious majority without sanctifying a campaign of bigotry against one of the country’s most popular politicians because he happens to be a practising Christian. This is our tragedy.
Jagan is no Rahul
Luckily for the YSR Congress Party—and for the Opposition in Andhra Pradesh—Jagan Mohan Reddy, though a dynast, is no Rahul Gandhi. The story of his rise to power from the ashes of his family’s political fortunes is a fusion of Shakespeare and Mario Puzo. Few sudden departures in republican India’s history were more consequential than YS Rajashekhara Reddy’s. Had he survived the freak air tragedy that killed him, Andhra Pradesh, the most reliable of the Congress party’s redoubts, would almost certainly have remained unpartitioned. The decision to mutilate the state, executed with an autocratic flourish that makes Narendra Modi and Amit Shah look like demure amateurs, decimated the party’s vote in the Telugu country just as Modi migrated to national politics.
Jagan was whacked about like a ping-pong ball for demanding what the Gandhis, who owed their power in large measure to his late father, practised: hereditary succession. He was blackballed, banished, and subjected to relentless judicial torment. Arrayed against him were some of the country’s most fearsome political figures: the Gandhis in Delhi, their minions in Hyderabad, and Naidu in Andhra. Jagan, consigned to jail and persecuted by people who had profited from his late father’s largesse, had no cause for hope. He did not complain. He did not luxuriate in self-pity. He fought. He launched a political party and staged one of the most taxing marches through the state in recent memory. By 2019, eight years after it was launched, YSRCP was in power—an extraordinary achievement by any standard.
Power deformed Jagan’s judgement
The other remarkable thing is that, for the entirety of their political career, the faith of the Reddys seemed irrelevant to everyone. Nobody refused to accept Rajashekhara Reddy as a leader because he was Christian. He mixed with people of all faiths. And on returning from foreign shores, Rajashekhara Reddy made it a point to visit Tirupati. I don’t say this to pacify the piously aggrieved Hindus now denouncing the Reddys as clandestine catechists. I mention it because Rajashekhara Reddy’s attitude and approach to faith, shaped by acceptance, were Indian to the marrow.
This is one of the supreme virtues—alongside countless vices—that Jagan inherited from his father. Power, alas, deformed his judgement. Jagan harried Naidu in gratuitously cruel ways. Things were said that cannot be unsaid. Naidu was reduced to tears. But no humiliation seemed to satisfy Jagan. He finally dispatched Naidu to prison.
Upon being returned to power earlier this year, Naidu had a choice before him. He could either perpetuate this mutually ruinous cycle of vengeance and vendetta—or he could terminate it. During his first term as bifurcated Andhra’s inaugural chief minister, from 2014 to 2019, one of Naidu’s closest and wisest advisors had urged him to invite Jagan, who was still finding his feet, for a forthright talk: Look here, your father and I were friends before we were political rivals. You and I are political rivals—we are not enemies. You are like my own son, and I want us to cooperate where we can for the good of the state.
Naidu rejected the advice. Jagan, despite his intensifying popularity, struck him as a nobody. Very soon, he was removed from office by Jagan. It would require superhuman restraint on Naidu’s—and especially his son’s—part to move on from all that they endured in Jagan’s reign. But that is the price of statesmanship.
This attempt to besmirch Jagan as an enemy of Hinduism is not only beneath contempt. It is also obscene, grotesque, and dangerously reckless. Each day, almost every hour, a new depth is plumbed. Naidu, who would like nothing more than to be remembered as a pioneer and a paladin, is now complaining to cameras that the wife of someone on the board of the temple’s trust was seen with a copy of the Bible.
Naidu is making a catastrophic mistake by deploying religion into a political culture that has so little appetite for it. The angry noises are coming from afar: most people in Andhra can see this farce for what it is. And those who do not are being scooped up by Pawan Kalyan, the ally destined to challenge Naidu in the future. In any event, the Reddys have a formidable political base, Andhra is not Gujarat, and power there will not long reside with the same party or leader. The poison of sectarianism, whatever its immediate reward, will not merely frustrate the progress Naidu claims to want to impart to his state. It will also haunt him and taint his legacy.
Kapil Komireddi, the author of Malevolent Republic: A Short History of the New India, is currently working on a book on Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. Follow him on X and Telegram. Views are personal.
(Edited by Zoya Bhatti)
Mr. kapil Reddy – how much money did you get to write this article in favor of Jagan Reddy . Have balls to accept the truth . Just because you both are reddy caste you can justify a wrong doing of Jagan reddy
Illiterate journalist
Unbelievable!
Can’t understand how an author such as Kapil Komireddi came up with this.
Almost everything written in this is absolute trash.
He should have done some research and spent some time on this matter. Looks like he just wrote whatever that came up in his mind.
Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government is absolutely corrupt to the core. Almost all decisions that were taken during his regime from 2019 – 2024 were mired in corruption and robbing the state of its wealth.
Chandra Babu Naidu may not be perfect but he is as close to perfect as any politician can be. He has done tremendous work for his state.
I strongly advise the author to do some introspection and if he feels that he has done something wrong,, to please come back with another article explaining his severe lapses in comprehending this issue.
Until then, I am not going to read any of his articles or books again.
Those indulging in hate mongering have a home called The Print.
Unfortunate to see even literates like you fail to accept reality. I will answer all the questions.
1.Yes TTD is rich but not rich like Adani and Ambani. This year TTD budget is Rs 5142 crores out of that it allotted 750 crores for material purchases like ghee, cardamom, Cashew, Equipment, electronics etc.
2.KMF supplied ghee for 4 years in YCP period and 2-3 years in TDP rule. No contractor is removed because contract is awarded based on e tender process whoever wins they will get the contract. FYI KMF IS NOT GIVEN CONTRACT IN 2015 UNDER TDP RULE BUT IT HAS GIVEN TO SOME OTHER DAIRY FOR RS 276 PER KG GHEE.
3.Ghee rate never crossed 400 rupees in TTD contracts. Dairy companies don’t charge MRP price to enterprises, big companies, temples etc. lets suppose heritage ghee owned by CBN supply ghee at 600 per kg to consumer. but here you have to see between company and consumer there will be traders, wholesalers, transportation costs, commissions, packaging costs and other taxes etc. these costs wont be there when heritage supply to temples and other thing is companies give huge discount to temples because it is sense of charity, pride and honor for them.
4. said ghee is not added to laddu this is said by both TTD EO and Nara Lokesh.
4. Many a times ghee is rejected by both YCP and TDP govt in previous terms also because of same reasons 18 and 14 times.
5.Test report don’t say animal fat is added.it only said it may be one of the reason. caution: on July 23 when report came. EO said only vegetable fat is added. NDDB calf report is disclosed not by TTD or AP govt first but by TDP social media account.
6.Nobody writes articles by watching TDP social media, Tv5, Andhra jyothi , Enadu but they see all the sides brother.
7.Listen to opponents and use rationality, logic and data based observations instead of hatred and emotions then you will realize the truth
This is ‘Sakshi’ kind of journalism. This kind of journalism only focuses on elevating Y.S.Jagan, trying to cover his misdeeds with an illogical analysis and above all blind criticism of NCBN. Never expected this type of rubbish article from the Print.
Lack evidence? Really
Again left-liberalism is just a cover for casteists of all colors. This author who usually goes around proclaiming his secular credentials is making a rather shameless effort to defend his fellow caste-man J M Reddy.
He is a left wing ideologue. Like all ideologues he is weak in dealing with facts.
Q1. Why was Nandini removed. They are a Govt. run co-operative renowned for their quality. They were already supplying to TTD at no profit basis. Was TTD short of funds? Clear answer in No. So question is why was Nandini removed- clearly for corruption purposes.
Q2. The lowest bidder from some flim-flam dairy promised to supply pure ghee at Rs. 320/kg. The Nandini Chairman, Mr. Naik (who is from the ST community) stated that it is impossible to do so and the only way is if the quality is compromised. He has been proved right. Can the author not recognize the malafide intent? – Answer- being an ideologue he is very weak in recognizing important facts. Only thing that matters is secular/communal and not facts of the case.
Q3. Does the author of this piece even know about the cost of ghee in the open market – Answer – most probably no.
Q4. Can the author of this piece grasp that when you give contracts to dubious contractors who quote impossibly low prices, corruption and adulteration is inbuilt – clearly No. Too difficult a question for an ideologue!!
Q5. The author of this piece makes much of the fact that the ghee tested was from July after Naidu was in power. So what he is implying is that this contractor was supplying high quality ghee before July at the same low price of Rs.320/kg!!! Can anyone be this stupid. — Difficult to answer this question for ideologues who are usually low on common sense.
Q6. If it was only caught in July and the ghee was not used, why did the TTD people perform purification rituals — Answer – these people may not know how to use bombastic English but have elementary common sense. The reached the obvious conclusion that this contractor was supplying similar quality ghee earlier as well, which they had used in rituals and in prasad. Hence, the purification rituals.
So the author with no ability to recognize central facts of the matter, wants to turn this into a communal/secular issue. Worse, he uses bombastic language to lend an air of authority to his views. However, the neglect of central facts makes it easy to see through his bombastic language which cannot hide the hollowness of this pathetic article. Another pathetic ideologue who belongs is the CPM central committee or Politburo!
The author has absolutely no idea about chirstian conversion mafia in Andhra and what the power base of Jagan actually is. I request him to actually to visit and do some ground reporting on Andhra.
This is the one of the worst articles i have found from the print website. Instead of bringing late rajasekhar reddy into the topic, portraying jagan reddy as robin hood, and publishing handpicked answers from shri. syamala rao press release, the article should have focused on to the topic.
Andhra people are one of the largest migrants to Christian country of USA. And Naidu is openly disrespecting and insulting Christianity. Christians should oppose such blatantly fake communal rhetoric that only divides society. Every one can choose and practice their faith freely as per constitution. If temples are funded and run by govts it will have people from other faiths appointed because govt does not belong to one religion. Hindus should shun govt funding and run their own temples through a central Hindu authority maybe the RSS if its such a big concern. There is a big reason even Modi is unwilling to let temples go out of govt control as then they cannot play such communal games then.
This is an idiotic piece. The writer seems to be a left liberal. Its an article with only verbose words. and no substance.
Fake Analysis in the article
The point is that, contracts given to authentic suppliers were cancelled and were given to cronies, who supplied adulterated ghee. Yes the TDP appointee caught it and ensured its non-utility. But whether ghee from that supplier was used earlier is the question? Public have noticed a marked improvement in quality of the prasadam, after TDP regime took over.
Upholding secularism while calling a spade a spade is very important. It is well known that large scale conversion to Christianity with financial incentives was and is being undertaken. And state patronge might have been extended when people in power are also inclined towards the objective. But Hindu leaders opposing it cannot be called communal, when conversion with financial incentives is called secular.
The political commentary of the author unrelated to the prasadam issue clearly exposes his sympathies.
So much for unbiased journalism.