TTD Laddu Controversy Intensifies in Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council
The ongoing dispute over the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) laddu continued to dominate proceedings in the Andhra Pradesh legislative council on Wednesday, with opposition YSRCP members aggressively pushing for a debate on the issue. This led to the suspension of regular business as tensions flared between the ruling party and the opposition.
YSRCP Forces Adjournment Motions on Ghee and Dairy Ties
YSRCP legislators submitted two adjournment motions, one focusing on the ghee supplied to TTD and the other concerning the connections between Heritage and Indapur dairies. However, council chairman K Moshenu Raju rejected these motions, prompting YSRCP members to raise slogans and disrupt the session.
Finance minister Payyavula Keshav responded by stating that the government is prepared to discuss any matter, but only in accordance with the established rules of the House. He urged the chairman to restore order so that he could address the issues raised. Despite this appeal, opposition members refused to relent, leading Moshenu Raju to adjourn the House for five minutes. Proceedings only resumed after noon, but similar disruptions occurred in the afternoon session, resulting in another adjournment.
Government Challenges Opposition to Provide Evidence
Home minister Vangalapudi Anitha declared that the government is ready for a debate on the ghee supplied to TTD. She challenged YSRCP members to present concrete evidence to support their allegations, noting that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) report submitted to the government indicated the material in question was not pure ghee but a mixture of chemicals.
"The opposition is bringing unrelated issues to the House and creating disruptions. I challenge YSRCP members to come for a discussion if they have facts to support their allegations," she asserted. Anitha added that she is willing to discuss in detail what chemicals were mixed in the ghee, emphasizing the government's commitment to transparency.
This political standoff highlights the deepening rift in Andhra Pradesh politics, with the TTD laddu issue serving as a flashpoint for broader debates on governance and accountability. The repeated adjournments underscore the challenges in maintaining legislative decorum amid such contentious disputes.
