September 30: Supreme Court to hear Petition on Tirupati Laddu Controversy

The Supreme Court is set to hear petitions today (September 30, Monday) regarding the controversy surrounding the famed Tirumala Laddu. The bench, led by Justices B.R. Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan, will review the allegations made by former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who claimed that animal fat was being used in the preparation of the laddus, a sacred offering at the Tirumala Temple.

Several petitioners, including senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and Member of Parliament Y.V. Subba Reddy, have requested the Supreme Court to establish a committee under its supervision to investigate these claims. MP Y.V. Subba Reddy has further requested an independent inquiry, led by a retired Supreme Court judge.

The petitioners have called for a forensic audit of the NDDB lab report, which is at the center of the controversy. Subramanian Swamy is expected to present arguments in this case. Petitioners have highlighted that the Executive Officer (EO) of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has already clarified that no rejected ghee was used in the preparation of the laddus. They questioned why the sacred offering was being maligned when the ghee used was of the approved standard and raised concerns about the political motivations behind the lab report.

The petitioners also argued that such baseless accusations are damaging the sentiments of devotees. They emphasized that for decades, only ghee meeting the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) has been used in preparing the laddus. They believe that the issue has been blown out of proportion based on an isolated report, and the court's intervention is necessary to safeguard the faith of the devotees.

The case has drawn widespread attention, as the Tirumala Laddu holds immense religious significance, and any claims affecting its sanctity can have far-reaching implications for the faith and sentiments of millions of devotees.