Religion and politics cannot be allowed to mix, the Supreme Court said Monday while hearing three petitions over allegations that animal fat was found in the ghee used to make the laddoos, or devotional offerings, 'fed' to the deity and given to devotees at Andhra Pradesh's Tirupati temple.
The court took a dim view of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's public statements on this contentious issue, particularly as his administration had already ordered an inquiry into the findings of a Gujarat lab July's report claiming fish oil, beef tallow, and lard (pig fat) were found in the ghee.
"When you (the Chief Minister) hold a Constitutional post... we expect Gods to be kept away from politics. If you had already ordered (an) investigation, 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..."
A bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan was distinctly unhappy with the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister's September 20 comments, in which he hit out at his rival and predecessor, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, over the alleged presence of animal fats in Tirupati laddoo ghee.
Naidu's comments were soon echoed by members of his Telugu Desam Party and allies Jana Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party, triggering a massive political row in the southern state. The Chief Minister also proclaimed, and carried out, a 'purification' ceremony for the famous temple.
"You ordered an SIT (special investigation team). Till the outcome (of the inquiry) what was the need to go to the press? You have been always appearing for such... this is the second time," Justice Gavai rapped the Andhra Pradesh government.
His colleague asked sharply, "Unless you were sure (about the adulteration), how did you go to public? What (then) was the purpose of investigation?"
The irked top court also pointed out it has not yet been established if the ghee - about which complaints over quality had been received - was, in fact, used to make the laddoos.
Told the investigation into the quality of the ghee is ongoing, Justice Gavai shot back again, "(Then) what was the need to go to the press immediately? You need to respect religious sentiments."
"Where is proof this was the ghee used to prepare the laddoos?" the court asked.
