Ghee Row Erupts in Council: Opposition Stages Deity Photo Protest

The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council descended into chaos on Friday as allegations surrounding the Tirumala laddu prasadam and the Indapur Dairy–Heritage Foods link triggered tense confrontations between the government and opposition members.

Opposition Demands Debate

Immediately after the session began, YSRCP members Kumbha Ravibabu, D. Madhava Rao, and S. Mangamma moved an adjournment motion, pressing for an urgent discussion on the supply of ghee used in the Tirumala laddu and the alleged association of Indapur Dairy with Heritage Foods.

The Chairman, however, rejected the motion, noting that the matter had already been addressed and could not be reopened under procedural rules. Defying this, YSRCP members stormed into the Well of the House, raising slogans and creating a disorderly scene.

Religious Symbols Spark Outrage

The situation intensified when opposition members displayed images of Lord Venkateswara inside the Council chamber as part of their protest. Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav condemned the act as a politically motivated insult to religious sentiments, calling it “deeply regrettable” and urging the Chairman to take action against those responsible.

Jagan Mohan Reddy’s Allegations

Earlier, YSRCP chief Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had fueled the controversy, alleging that until February 10, Indapur Dairy was presented as a proprietary unit of Heritage Foods, but after the issue surfaced, it was reclassified as a “co-manufacturing” unit on February 15.

He accused the government of making the changes to gain an advantage in TTD tenders and claimed it was avoiding a proper debate on the matter.

CM Refutes Claims

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, speaking in the Assembly on February 13, expressed dismay over attempts to link Heritage Foods with the laddu controversy. He emphasized that the company had no involvement in the incident, had not benefited from government dealings, and would not in the future.

Describing Heritage as a family-run enterprise providing livelihood, he accused the opposition of maligning its reputation for political gains.

Session Adjourned

Despite a brief adjournment, disruptions resumed when the House reconvened, with opposition slogans again halting proceedings. Faced with continued disorder, the Chairman adjourned the Council until Monday.