Panel to be set up to probe Tirumala laddu adulteration
The Cabinet unanimously felt that aduleration was encouraged deliberately by the previous regime by relaxing the tender norms to benefit the suppliers
image for illustrative purpose
Amaravati: In a first of its kind, the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet held its meeting for three and a half hours and consulted the Advocate General by inviting to the meeting and decided to bring all those involved in the adulteration of Tirumala laddus to the book by constituting a Commision of Inquiry.
As the SIT report submitted to the government recommended action against the perpetrators of the adulteration, the Cabinet decided to set up an Commision of Inquiry to identify real culprits in the heinous crime. The commission will be mandated to look into gaps in SIT prebe, chargesheet and identify the key conspirators with a fixed timeframe.
Coming down heavily on the YSRCP for spreading wrong propaganda on the scam, during a media briefing Ministers from all the coalition partners, Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav and Information & Public Relations Minister Kolusu Parhasarathy (TDP), Civil Supplies Minister N. Manohar (Jana Sena) and Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav (BJP) said while admitting that irregularity occurred by allowing adulteration, the leaders belonging to that party are falsely claiming that the coalition is responsible for the scam.
"Why are they not owning up responsibility? In our detailed inquiry, whosoever, no matter how big they are, will be punished as per law. We will also not allow them to misuse the name of the Lord Venkateswara or Srivari as they are being given utmost respect all over the world," the Ministers declared.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed anguish at the wrong narration being spread by YSRCP in spite of occurrence of a major scam when they were in power by allowing adulterated ghee in the preparation of laddus. He said unlike the YSRCP regime, they are conducting quality tests periodically by certified agencies to find out the quality of the laddus being offered to the presiding deity of Tirumala.
The Cabinet unanimously felt that aduleration was encouraged deliberately by the previous regime by relaxing the tender norms to benefit the suppliers. The Cabinet also is understood to have found fault with senior IAS officer Anil Kumar Singhal, who being the Executive Officer at that time, did not initiate any action.
