The Supreme Court will hear requests for an independent inquiry into the rigging allegations on September 30

On September 30, the Supreme Court will hear a series of petitions seeking a court-monitored inquiry into the allegations made by the TDP-led Andhra Pradesh government over the use of adulterated ghee in the preparation of laddus at the Tirumala Tirupati temple during the previous YSRCP regime.

The matter was raised before the bench Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan.

In short, the controversy stems from a laboratory report made public by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu which showed that samples of ghee supplied to the Tirupati temple for preparation of laddus during the tenure of the previous YSRCP government contained foreign fats (including beef and fish oil).

It appears that about 5 petitions have been filed so far seeking relief, including a court-monitored inquiry into the allegations and greater accountability at government-run Hindu temples.

(AND) Petition filed by Suresh Khanderao Chavhanke

One of the petitions was filed by Suresh Khanderao Chavhanke, editor-in-chief of Sudarshan News TV, seeking an inquiry by a committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge or retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court into the matter. He claims that the use of non-vegetarian ingredients in prasadam violates the fundamental rights of devotees under Art. 25 and 26 of the Constitution, which guarantee freedom of religion and the right of religious denominations to independently manage their affairs in religious matters.

In his petition, Chavhanke also asked for the appointment of a retired Supreme Court judge or Chief Justice to oversee the management of temples and shrines to ensure transparency and adherence to religious customs.

(II) Petition filed by Surjit Singh Yadav

The second petition was filed by Surjit Singh Yadav, president of the Hindu Sena, who is seeking a special investigation team (SIT) probe into the alleged use of adulterated ghee in laddus.

Yadav claims that the alleged use of animal fat in the preparation of laddus has hurt the sentiments of Tirupati Balaji’s Hindu followers.

(III) Petition filed by Dr. Subramanian Swamy

The third petition was filed by senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, demanding an inquiry by a court-monitored commission. Apart from praying for the formation of the committee, Swamy sought directions from the authorities for a detailed report on the forensics of the ghee sample used by the laboratory concerned (including its sources).

According to Swamy, the matter should have been taken up under the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). However, it was politicized and made into propaganda, causing deep hurt to millions of devotees of Lord Venkateshwara.

Further, Swamy states that if the quality of supplies offered for the preparation of prasadam/laddus falls below the specified standard, the material will be returned to the supplier provided it meets the specified standards.

Significantly, Swamy has included certain issues in his petition that may be addressed by the proposed commission:

– Was sampling performed/ordered by a laboratory testing agency?

– Was the ghee sample taken from ghee used in offerings or from a rejected batch of samples?

– Which supplier was involved in purchasing the said adulterated ghee?

– Can this report give a false positive result?

– When or was the said ghee procured or discarded as a result of internal testing conducted by Respondent No. 3 (TTD)?

– Should any political intervention be allowed when publishing such reports, rather than TTD?

(IV) Petition filed by YV Subba Reddy

The fourth petition was filed by Rajya Sabha MP and former TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy, who seeks an independent inquiry by a court-monitored committee or a retired judge of the Tribunal along with field experts into the forgery allegations.

In addition to the above, Reddy seeks directions from the respondent authorities to prepare a report on “detailed forensic analysis of the laboratory report and the source of Ghee used in the said report as sample and source of pre-treatment, with all additional details.”

The former TTD chairman claims that as per the standard operating procedure in Tirumala, when a vehicle carrying cow ghee arrives at the temple complex/premises, the officer concerned takes a sample from the said tank/vehicle and conducts a basic test. If the test reports are as per the specifications given in the tender document, only the said cow ghee will be used for preparing the prasadams including Laddu Prasadam, failing which the said vehicle will be sent back without any objections.

“Therefore, it is wrong to state or to allege that such ghee is USED to prepare prasadam for Lord Venkateswara,” the plea states.

The petition faults Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu and states that his remarks on the use of animal fat in Tirumala Laddu prasadam have disturbed the sentiments of a large number of devotees of Lord Venkateswara.

It is further alleged that there is a discrepancy in the statements of the TTD and the Andhra CM and if the laboratory reports in question were obtained in July 2024, the state government remained silent for over 2 months.

(IN) Petition filed by Dr. Vikram Sampath and Dushyanth Sridhar

The fifth petition was filed by historian Dr Vikram Sampath and spiritual discursor Dushyantha Sridhar asking to “get rid of government/bureaucratic power over temples”. The duo seeks to establish accountability in Hindu temples run by government bodies.

The petitions filed by Subramanian Swamy, YV Subba Reddy and Vikram Sampath will be published on Monday.