New Delhi: The Supreme Court, hearing the petitions over allegations of animal fat allegedly found in the ghee used for laddoos at Tirupathi temple, said on Monday that religion and politics should not be allowed to mix, NDTV reported.
The court took a dim view of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's public statements in this regard.
Naidu administration had ordered a probe into a Gujarat lab’s findings in July that fish oil, beef tallow, and lard (pig fat) were found in the ghee, according to the report.
Taking note of the fact that a probe was already ordered, the court asked ‘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.’
Chandrababu Naidu raised the allegation that animal fat was found in the ghee used to make the laddoos, or devotional offerings, kicking up a controversy in the state.
Expressing displeasure at Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister's September 20 comments over animal fat issue, a bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan reportedly said ‘when you (the Chief Minister) hold a Constitutional post... we expect Gods to be kept away from politics.’
Back then, Naidu attacked his rival and predecessor, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy over the alleged presence of animal fats in Tirupati laddoo ghee.
Following which, Telugu Desam Party, Jana Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party stepped in supporting Naidu causing massive political row in the state.
The court asked ‘Unless you were sure (about the presence of ghee in offerings), how did you go to public? What (then) was the purpose of investigation?’