The Chandrababu Naidu-led Andhra Pradesh government got slammed by the Supreme Court for hastily releasing allegations regarding the usage of poor ghee in the Tirupati shrine during the Jaganmohan Reddy-led Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) rule.
A bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan said that there is now insufficient evidence to support Naidu's assertion that the ghee used to manufacture laddoos at the esteemed Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirupati was made using animal fat.
In response to the appeals submitted by the YSRCP and other petitioners, the matter was being heard by the top court.
The court also questioned the Telugu Desam Party's (TDP) government's intention to make these allegations public when Naidu had already directed an inquiry into the issue.
“Whether such a statement should have been made that affects the sentiments of the devotees? What was the need to go to the press and make a public statement when the Special Investigation Team (SIT) was ordered? Prima facie there is nothing at least to show, no concrete proof to show at this stage, that the same ghee was used and procured,” the court asked.
“Even pending investigation, when such statements are made by responsible public functionaries, then what effect will it have on the SIT? What was the material?” the court added.
The court noted that the laddoos needed to have been put to the test before making the accusations public, even though it acknowledged that gods shouldn't be involved in politics.
The court said, "We are of the prima facie view that it was not appropriate for a high constitutional functionary to go public when an investigation was ordered."
Additionally, the top court ordered Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to clarify if the SIT should be transferred or should its inquiry continue. The matter will now be heard on Oct 3.
After Naidu made grave accusations against Reddy over the usage of tainted ghee to make laddoos, a major scandal broke out. In response, Reddy said, "Only Naidu can use God for political gains."
“We stand by everything we have said before. Adulterated ghee was used to prepare Tirupati laddus. We welcome the Supreme Court’s ruling today asking the Center if a central investigation is required. A R Dairy Food Private Limited supplied eight tankers of ghee to TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams),” TDP national spokesperson K Pattabhi Ram said.
"When there were complaints from pilgrims regarding the smell and quality of laddus, samples from the remaining four tankers were sent for testing and the reports are there for everyone to see,” he continued.
“At ₹319 per kg, it cannot be that the quality of ghee in the first four tankers was pure and the remaining four tankers were adulterated. NDDB has stood by its report on the ghee samples we have sent. The Andhra Pradesh government will furnish all the reports to the SC,” he added.
