The Supreme Court's observation on Monday while hearing a case related to the laddus controversy at the famous Tirumala Tirupati temple in Andhra came as a slap in the face of partisan politicians who drag religion and customs for vested gains. This sharp criticism against the political leadership is in view of the various petitions brought before the Supreme Court demanding action on the lab report that fish oil and beef and pig fat were added instead of cow ghee in the laddu served as offerings in the Tirumala Tirupati temple. It was Andhra Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu who kicked up this controversy, which raised doubts among the devotees about the ingredients of laddu in temples not only in Andhra but also in other states. Justice BR Gavai and Justice K.V. Viswanathan said that while the inquiry was going on, the person holding a high constitutional position should not have come out with statements that would affect the sentiments of crores of people. A decision on whether laddu was adulterated is pending. The Naidu government has appointed a special investigation team on September 25 to find out the truth. However, the Chief Minister had issued a statement a week before that. Why is he in such a hurry to release the news to the media when the investigation is going nowhere? - asked the court. The court said that religious sentiments should be respected and gods should be kept out of politics.
Also read: CM Naidu criticizes YSR Congress for changing ghee procurement standards for TTD
This is not the first time that adulteration has become a controversy in Tirupati. In the past, there have been cases where the goods were sent back after it was found that vegetable oil was added instead of cow ghee. This time, when adulteration was found, Chief Minister Naidu directed the sending of the sample to the lab of the National Dairy Development Board in Gujarat. Analysis by NDDB found adulteration using vegetable oil. But the report also mentions a 'probability' that seems odd - a line about the possibility of a small amount of alternative animal fat. Why such a remark was included in the report without proof is yet to be unraveled. However, the statements of Chandrababu Naidu, who made the incident a communal weapon, showed the real intent behind it. Naidu stated that it was during YS Jaganmohan Reddy's regime that the forbidden use of animal fat occurred and through that he had hurt Hindu sentiments. Following this, Janaseva Party leader and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan joined issue. Then the BJP could not simply stand by and the issue became a greater weapon for the communal forces. It is known that Jagan Reddy is a Christian. It was turned into a weapon against the minority-friendly and non-Hindu Jagan. The Supreme Court has strongly criticized this conspiratory move. Politicians who keep saying that religion and politics should be kept separate are now dragging gods and religions to gain and secure power. This is now common practice in India where Hindutva is ruling the country. Naidu also adopted the usual pattern of politicians who use religious, caste, and ethnic labels to win votes, seats, and rule and silence their opponents. The fact that the rival Jagan is a Christian makes it easier. Pawan Kalyan, who has changed tactics after discovering that Che Guevara's armed revolutionary prowess is of no avail and that he will only become a corpse in the communist alliance, is in ana ttempt to outdo Naidu in using communalism.
Also read: Animal fat in Tirupati laddu: Pawan Kalyan begins 11-day ‘Praschit Deeksha'
The political controversy going on in Kerala is also relevant to this situation. A ruling party MLA complains that gold smuggling, fraud, and murder are taking place under the leadership of a high-ranking officer in the State's home department and that there is no safety for the people's representatives and public servants of the ruling party due to nepotism and corruption in the administrative echelons. The legislator also reveals that the senior official who holds the position in the left government held talks with the election engineers of its political opponent Sangh Parivar. Allegations are also made of bringing Kerala Police close to Sangh Parivar. The Chief Minister and the government should conduct an efficient investigation into all this and take action. However, the administration is in a haste to oust the accuser by alleging links to terrorists because he is a Muslim. Kerala government's counter allegation is that MLA Anwar is taking revenge for blocking the flow of black money for anti-national activities to the MLA's Malappuram district. In Kerala, anti-Islamic and racist accusations by Sangh Parivars and Christian extremists who aim for communal insurgency hide the failings of the government. The Supreme Court's suggestion that the Chief Minister and the government should fulfill their constitutional obligations without regard to religion and God is applicable here too.