Tirupati Laddu row: Supreme Court questions ghee contamination proof

The Supreme Court on Monday said that those who hold constitutional office are expected to keep gods away from politics. The top court made these remarks while hearing a batch of petitions regarding the alleged adulteration of Tirupati temple laddus.

A bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan posed several questions to the Andhra Pradesh government and the Tirumala Tirupati temple management, including why there was a need to make a public statement when a probe was underway. The top court underlined the lack of definitive proof of contamination of ghee or, if it was indeed contaminated, that the affected ghee was used to make the laddoos. The court also pointed to an ongoing inquiry and a "false positive" testing caveat.

The court took a dim view of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's public statements on this contentious issue, particularly as his administration had already ordered an inquiry into the findings of a Gujarat lab July's report claiming fish oil, beef tallow, and lard (pig fat) were found in the ghee.

"When you hold constitutional office, it is expected that you would...we expect Gods to be kept away from polity," Justice BR Gavai said while responding to senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared for the Andhra Pradesh government. "You ordered an SIT. Till the outcome, what is the necessity to go to the press? You have always been appearing for such...this is the second time," the court asked Rohatgi.

Rohatigi argued that these "are not genuine [bonafide] petitions. Attempt to attack the current government by the previous regime. TTD issued a show cause notice to their man what kind of supplies..."

The Supreme Court also asked what the proof was to show that contaminated ghee was used in the preparation of laddus at the Lord Venkateswara Temple. On this, advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for the Tirupati Temple, informed the bench, "We are investigating". Justice Gavai then asked, "Then what was the need to go to the press immediately? You need to respect religious sentiments".

The court also noted that no report proved that the adulterated ghee was used for preparing the laddus. When Luthra told the court that people had complained the laddoo did not taste right, the court asked, "The laddu, which tasted different, was that sent to the lab to find out if it contained contaminated material?"

Justice Viswanathan then asked, "Doesn't prudence dictate that you take a second opinion? In normal situations, we seek a second opinion. There's no proof that the said ghee was used".

The top court asked Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta to seek instructions from the Centre on whether an investigation by a central agency is required and posted the matter for further hearing to Thursday.

The court was hearing three petitions filed by senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, Rajya Sabha MP and former TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy, and the third one by historian Vikram Sampath and spiritual discourse speaker Dushyanth Sridhar.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu alleged earlier this month that animal fat was used in the preparation of Tirupati laddoos during the tenure of the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government, sparking a major political controversy. In response, the YSR Congress Party accused Naidu of making "heinous allegations" for political advantage.