Tirupati laddoo row: Lawyer moves SC to 'protect religious rights'
What's the story
The controversy surrounding the alleged use of animal fat in the preparation of Tirupati laddoos has now reached the Supreme Court. A lawyer, Satyam Singh, filed a petition on Friday claiming that this act infringes upon fundamental Hindu religious customs and deeply offends numerous devotees who regard the "prasad" as a sacred blessing. The petitioner argues that this incident indicates broader systemic issues within temple administration and calls for safeguarding Hindu religious practices.
Controversy origins
Allegations of animal fat in laddoos spark controversy
The controversy was ignited by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's statement on Wednesday, alleging that animal fat was used in the preparation of the laddoos during the previous YSR Congress government. This claim was supported by a report from a Gujarat laboratory, which found traces of beef tallow, fish oil, and lard (pig fat) in the ghee used for making these the laddoos.
Legal intervention
Lawyer's petition highlights violation of religious rights
In his letter to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Singh stated that these allegations have deeply hurt the sentiments of devotees. He argued that using animal fat in the laddoos violates Article 25 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to freedom of religion and practice religious customs. The petition also emphasized several Supreme Court judgments underscoring the importance of protecting essential religious practices and called for dedicated management of temples.
Official response
Union Health Minister seeks detailed report
Earlier on Friday, Union Health Minister JP Nadda requested a "detailed report" from CM Naidu regarding these allegations. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), an ally of Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Jana Sena, has labeled the alleged use of animal fat as an unforgivable sin. Senior BJP leader Bandi Sanjay suggested that this might have occurred due to the induction of "few people from other religions" into the TTD board.
Counterclaims
YSR Congress dismisses allegations as false
The YSR Congress and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy have dismissed these allegations as false. Reddy accused Naidu of damaging the sanctity of the Tirumala shrine with his comments about the Tirumala prasad. "Chandrababu Naidu has severely damaged the sanctity of Tirumala and the faith of crores of Hindus," he said, adding that no person would make such accusations.