The Supreme Court of India on Monday challenged the Andhra Pradesh government regarding the Tirupati Prasadam controversy, emphasizing the need to keep religious matters separate from politics. The court questioned the government about the necessity of going to the media before confirming whether adulterated ghee was used in the preparation of the famous Tirumala laddus.
“At least we expect gods to be kept away from politics,” the court remarked strongly. It pointed out that lab reports indicated that the ghee tested was a rejected sample and noted that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe had already been initiated.
Justice BR Gavai asked senior advocate Siddharth Luthra whether the ghee that did not meet standards was used for making the laddus. Luthra responded that the matter was still under investigation.
“Then what was the need to go to the press immediately? You need to respect religious sentiments,” Justice Gavai stated, adding that complaints had been received regarding the taste of the laddus.
Earlier this month, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu alleged that animal fat was being used in the preparation of the sacred prasadam at the ancient temple, asserting that adulterated ghee was used during the tenure of Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy. In response, the Andhra government formed a Special Investigation Team to look into the allegations.
Reddy rejected Naidu’s claims, accusing him of “blatantly lying” about the Tirupati Laddu Prasadam. He criticized Naidu for trying to shift the political focus by bringing up the Laddu issue, questioning the sanctity of the Tirumala temple. “To obstruct my temple visit, they are serving notices, while BJP cadres are coming into the state from elsewhere, with police deployed at multiple locations. Is this justified?” Reddy said, emphasizing that Naidu’s allegations were misleading and damaging to the temple’s reputation.