Ruckus in Legislative Council as Tirumala laddu row reaches a flashpoint

What began as a demand for discussion on the Tirumala laddu issue snowballed into a confrontation over religious propriety and legislative decorum, overshadowing the scheduled business in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council on Friday.

Proceedings came to a standstill after YSRCP MLCs demanded a discussion on the Tirumala laddu issue, triggering dramatic scenes in the House and culminating in adjournment till Monday.

Trouble began when YSRCP members pressed for a debate on the alleged irregularities linked to the Tirupati laddu row. However, Chairman Koyye Moshen Raju declined to admit the adjournment motion. In protest, the YSRCP MLCs stormed the podium, carrying photographs of Lord Venkateswara and raising slogans, demanding that the matter be taken up immediately.

The protest soon took a contentious turn, with members of the ruling alliance objecting to the manner of demonstration. They accused the YSRCP members of disrespecting the deity by holding the Lord’s photographs while wearing footwear inside the Council. TDP leaders demanded an unconditional apology, stating that such conduct hurt the sentiments of devotees.

Amid loud exchanges and members storming the Chairman’s podium, the House was adjourned.

When proceedings resumed briefly, the uproar continued, with both sides standing firm. The YSRCP maintained that it had not insulted the deity and was only seeking accountability over the laddu controversy. The ruling alliance, however, insisted that the method of protest was inappropriate and tantamount to an affront to religious faith.

With no resolution in sight and chaos persisting, the Chairman adjourned the proceedings to Monday.

Leader of the Opposition in the Council Botcha Satyanarayana rejected the allegations and accused the government of diverting attention from substantive issues. He questioned why the ruling party was “afraid of debate,” and maintained that the protest was aimed at exposing irregularities, not disrespecting religious sentiments.

The row intensified outside the Council after HRD Minister Nara Lokesh posted videos and photographs on X, alleging that YSRCP MLCs had committed a “grave offence” by carrying Lord Venkateswara’s images while wearing boots and shoes. He termed it an “unpardonable sin,” and accused former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of attempting to cover-up one mistake with another.

However, the footwear issue soon turned into a political counterattack.

Several social media users circulated images and videos of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan wearing footwear while holding or receiving pictures of Hindu deities at public events, questioning the selective outrage.

With both sides refusing to back down, the debate over footwear,  symbolic of respect in Indian religious practice, overshadowed legislative business.