Tirupati Laddoo Controversy: Supreme Court Urges to Keep Gods Out of Politics

The Supreme Court stated on Monday that religion and politics should not be allowed to intertwine while hearing three petitions regarding allegations of animal fat found in the ghee used to prepare laddoos, the devotional offerings at Andhra Pradesh's Tirupati temple.

In a series of incisive questions and observations, the court highlighted the absence of conclusive evidence regarding the contamination of the ghee or, if contaminated, whether that ghee was used in making the laddoos. The justices also referred to an ongoing investigation and noted a potential "false positive" in testing results.

Additionally, the court expressed concern over Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's public remarks on this sensitive matter, especially considering that his administration had already initiated an inquiry into the findings of a Gujarat lab's report from July, which claimed that fish oil, beef tallow, and lard (pig fat) were detected in the ghee.

According to a statement released by the Supreme Court,

"When you (the Chief Minister) hold a Constitutional post... we expect Gods to be kept away from politics. If you had already ordered (an) investigation, what was the need to go to the press? The lab report came in July... your statement came in September. (And) the report is not at all clear..."

A bench comprising Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan expressed evident dissatisfaction with the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister's comments made on September 20, in which he criticised his rival and predecessor, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, over the alleged presence of animal fats in the ghee used for Tirupati laddoos.

The court then scheduled the matter for Thursday afternoon, cautioning the Chief Minister against making a "hat-trick" of unnecessary remarks. He was advised, "There should be restraint..."

Mr. Naidu's comments were quickly echoed by members of his Telugu Desam Party (TDP) as well as allies Jana Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party, sparking a significant political controversy in the southern state. The Chief Minister also announced and conducted a 'purification' ceremony for the renowned temple.

In response to the allegations and criticisms, Mr. Reddy and his YSR Congress Party condemned the claims as "malicious" and accused the TDP of lying for political advantage. They argued that it was actually Mr. Naidu who had compromised the temple's sanctity with his inflammatory remarks. Mr. Reddy later wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, labelling Mr. Naidu a "pathological liar."

The controversy eventually escalated to the Supreme Court following petitions filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and YSRCP Rajya Sabha MP YV Subba Reddy. Notably, Mr. Reddy also served as the Chair of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam, the state-run trust responsible for managing the Tirupati temple.

Mr. Swamy's petition requests the court to order the Andhra government to submit a detailed forensic report, while Mr. Reddy's petition seeks the formation of an independent special investigation team to examine the allegations.

During the first day of hearings for these petitions, the court expressed strong criticism towards the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, stating, "You ordered a special investigation. Until the outcome is known, what was the need to go to the press? This is the second time you have made such statements."

The displeased court also highlighted that it has yet to be confirmed whether the ghee, which had drawn complaints about its quality, was indeed used to make the laddoos. Justice Gavai challenged the necessity of the Chief Minister’s press comments while the investigation into the ghee's quality was still ongoing, emphasising, "You need to respect religious sentiments."

The court further questioned, "Where is the proof that this was the ghee used to prepare the laddoos?" It pointed out that tankers delivering ghee on July 6 and 12 had been tested, but according to temple management, they were never used. The lab's tests referenced samples from these tankers and did not include deliveries from June, which were in use until July 4.

Additionally, the court made public a disclaimer from the report prepared by the Centre of Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food Lab at the National Dairy Development Board in Gujarat. The court urged senior advocate Siddhartha Luthra, representing the TDP, to read the disclaimer aloud, stating, "The public may not be aware of this... you (the Chief Minister) only issued a statement."

Mr. Luthra then read, "A false positive can be obtained... method is not applicable to..." to which Justice Viswanathan remarked, "Doesn't prudence dictate that you take a second opinion before going public? Normally, we take a second opinion... there is no proof that the alleged ghee was used."

The kitchen at Tirupati prepares approximately three lakh laddoos each day, utilising around 1,500 kg of ghee along with substantial quantities of cashew nuts, raisins, cardamom, gram flour, and sugar. Reports suggest that the ghee was sourced from a supplier in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu.