Tirumala laddu row: Sharmila questions Naidu’s ‘silence’ for two months

The government was privy to the lab reports in July itself, says the APCC president, and demands a CBI probe into the controversy

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Y.S. Sharmila on September 20 (Friday) questioned Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on the timing of his public statement on the Tirupati laddu issue, and said it reeked of political calculation.

Addressing the media here, Ms. Sharmila said, while the government was privy to the lab reports in July itself, why did Mr. Naidu take so long to make it public.

“This looks like an attempt to divert the people’s attention from the failure of the TDP-led coalition government in the State in the first 100 days of its rule,” she said.

Ms. Sharmila said the Tirupati laddu issue was associated with the sanctity of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) and the millions of devotees who worshipped the presiding deity, Lord Venkateswara.

“Not talking about it for so long and breaking the issue in a casual way now seems like a deliberate attempt to deflect public attention from the TDP’s failures to the YSR Congress Party’s misrule,” she said.

Demanding a CBI probe, she said the party would also meet the Governor on the issue.

The APCC chief said, as promised, the TDP had failed to fulfil the many promises it made before coming to power.

Referring to Mr. Naidu’s oft-repeated claim on an empty exchequer, Ms. Sharmila reminded that the situation was the same even before the elections when Mr. Naidu made promises.

Pointing to a pamphlet brought out by the ruling party to list its achievements in the last 100 days, she said distribution of 25 kg rice to the flood victims, plugging the breached Budameru rivulet, accepting petitions at ‘Praja Darbar’ and the Chief Minister sleeping in the Collector’s office for 10 days, among other such things, were being claimed as the government achievements.

Liquor policy

Referring to the new liquor policy, she expressed fears that substantial growth in liquor sales might lead to rise in crimes against women, and said it was the government’s responsibility to regulate sale of liquor.

Published - September 20, 2024 06:44 pm IST