A.P. Congress chief Sharmila seeks SC intervention in Tirupati laddu row

In a letter addressed to the Chief Justice of India, she urged the apex court to order a CBI inquiry or directly monitor the SIT investigation initiated by the State government

Taking the ‘Tirumala laddu prasadam ghee adulteration’ controversy to the doorstep of the Supreme Court, the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Y.S. Sharmila has shot off a letter to the Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud seeking the court’s suo motu intervention in the row.

In the letter dated September 27, 2024 (Friday), Ms. Sharmila said the devotees were greatly concerned and they were seeking an objective investigation. But politics seemed to be gaining an upper hand on this crucial issue, she said, adding that it was particularly distressing that the matter of such significance was being investigated by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by an officer of IG rank, as ordered by the Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

She said on behalf of the Congress party, she would urge the Supreme Court to restore the faith of millions of devotees by taking a suo motu cognisance of the sequence of events and constitute an investigation panel under its direct supervision.

At a press conference here, she said, “We request the apex court to order a CBI inquiry or the SC should directly monitor the SIT investigation initiated by the State government.”

Centuries-old tradition

Explaining about the issue in the letter, she said, ‘‘The Tirumala laddu prasadam holds immense religious significance for millions of devotees worldwide. The laddu tradition dates back to more than 300 years in the Pallava custom of offering prasadam to devotees. In 2009, the famed Tirupati laddu received a Geographical Indication tag and the preparation of this prasadam is in adherence to sacred traditions and customs.’‘

On September 18, 2024, she recalled, the Chief Minister Mr. Naidu announced at a media briefing that the ghee used in the laddu was adulterated with animal fat and fish oil. The revelation caused great distress among Lord Balaji’s devotees, she observed. The next day (September 19), the TTD Executive Officer J. Syamala Rao confirmed that samples of the ghee had been tested in July 2024 after two tankers were seized on July 6 and July 12 and that further analysis indicated adulteration and the reports from the Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock & Food (CALF) confirmed these findings on July 17.

She said the Chief Minister’s statement, followed by his party leaders’ claims that the laboratory reports indicated presence of beef tallow and other animal fats in the ghee samples, added to people’s concern. The TTD EO had said that the ghee sourced from AR Dairy Foods contained foreign fats such as soyabean oil, sunflower oil and potentially lard.

Low price

Ms. Sharmila drew the Chief Justice’s attention to the fact that the then government had cleared a tender for ghee sourcing for just ₹320 per kg, while the market price was around ₹1,000 a kg. “This low pricing raises questions over the quality of the ghee that was being supplied to the TTD,” she said.

The AP Congress chief said the situation was turning murky as attempts were being made to give the issue a political colour and reiterated her plea to the apex court to intervene and help restore people’s faith.

Published - September 27, 2024 07:49 pm IST