The Supreme Court on Monday delivered a stern reprimand to the Andhra Pradesh government led by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, regarding the controversy surrounding Tirupati Laddus. The Court questioned the government’s decision to publicly announce allegations of adulterated ghee used in the preparation of the sacred prasadam before a thorough investigation was completed.
The Supreme Court, hearing a batch of petitions demanding a court-monitored investigation into the matter, expressed concern about the timing and manner in which the allegations were made public. The bench, consisting of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan, questioned the propriety of CM Naidu’s public statements while the investigation was still underway. “Till outcome of SIT probe, what was the need to go to the press?”, the Court inquired, as reported by legal news website LiveLaw.
The court further highlighted the potential for misrepresentation, stating that lab reports indicated the tested ghee was rejected, not necessarily adulterated with animal fat. “At least the Gods should be kept away from politics, says Supreme Court,” the Court emphasized. The Court also noted that the presence of soyabean oil in the sample did not definitively prove the use of fish oil.
Concerned about the potential impact of these allegations on religious sentiments, the Court considered shifting the investigation to an independent agency. The Court instructed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to return with instructions on October 3rd.
The Court acknowledged the gravity of the situation, stating, “The petition pertains to sentiments affecting crores of people living in the entire world.” The Court pointed out that CM Naidu had publicly claimed that animal fat was used during the previous regime’s tenure under Jagan Mohan Reddy, while the CEO of Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam had refuted these allegations.
These contradictory statements led to the filing of petitions seeking an independent inquiry and regulation of religious trusts, particularly regarding the manufacturing of prasadam.
Earlier this month, CM Naidu had accused the previous government of using adulterated ghee in the preparation of laddus at the Tirupati temple. In response, the Andhra government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the allegations. Former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy rejected the claims, accusing CM Naidu of “blatantly lying” about the Tirupati Laddu Prasadam.
