New Delhi: The controversy regarding animal fat allegedly being used to make the famed Tirupati laddus has reached the Supreme Court on Friday.
A lawyer, on behalf of petitioner Suresh Chavhanke, journalist, editor-in-chief and managing director of Sudarshan News, sent a letter petition alleging that the act violates fundamental Hindu religious customs and deeply hurts the sentiments of countless devotees, who consider the 'prasad' a sacred blessing.
The petitioner sought urgent intervention into the criminal conspiracy and mismanagement of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) and violation of religious practices following the subsequent admission of use of animal fat in preparation of prasadam offered to the deity dated September 18, 2024.
The letter petition, filed through advocate Satayam Singh, addressed to the Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, said the egregious violation at the Tirumala Tirupati Balaji Temple is not merely an isolated incident but a symptom of a larger, systemic issue plaguing the management of our sacred institutions, and it brings to light the pressing need for devoted and culturally sensitive management of our temples.
It said in the case of N. Adithayan v. Travancore Devaswom Board (2002) the apex court held that "any custom or usage irrespective of even any proof of their existence in pre-constitutional days cannot be countenanced as a source of law to claim any rights when it is found to violate human rights, dignity, social equality and the specific mandate of the Constitution and law made by Parliament."
"The violation also impinges upon the collective right of Hindus as a religious denomination to manage their religious affairs, a right protected under Article 26(b) of the Constitution. The fact that this violation occurred under the watch of government-appointed officials further underscores the need for temples to be managed by those who understand and respect the religious customs and sentiments of the devotees”, said the letter petition.
It said the use of non-vegetarian products in prasadam preparation strikes at the heart of this constitutional protection. Article 25(1) states that all persons are "equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practice and propagate religion."
"This act not only violates the fundamental tenets of Hindu religious customs but also deeply wounds the sentiments of countless devotees who regard the prasadam as a sacred blessing. The gravity of this situation cannot be overstated, as it strikes at the very core of our religious practices and beliefs," said the letter petition.
The controversy began after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said on Wednesday that animal fat was used to make the sought-after laddoos given as 'prasad' by the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati under the previous YSR Congress government. The state government then cited a report by a Gujarat laboratory which stated that the ghee used in the laddoos contained traces of beef tallow, fish oil, and lard (pig fat).
