Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president Y S Sharmila has called upon the Supreme Court to take immediate cognizance of the alleged adulteration of Tirumala Lord Balaji’s Laddu Prasadam. In a letter addressed to the Chief Justice of India, Justice D Y Chandrachud, Sharmila requested the apex court to exercise its suo moto jurisdiction and oversee an independent investigation into the matter. Sharmila appealed for either a CBI inquiry or direct monitoring of the ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe by the Supreme Court, stating that the issue had caused immense distress among millions of devotees.
“We strongly appeal for the Supreme Court’s intervention to restore faith in this sacred offering,” she wrote. The controversy, which has rocked the State, began when Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu announced on September 18 that ghee used in the preparation of the prasadam was adulterated with fat from dead animals and fish oil. In her letter, Sharmila highlighted that in 2009, the laddu received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, further underscoring its significance. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) executive officer, J Syamala Rao, confirmed that samples of the ghee used in the laddu were tested in July 2024 following the seizure of two tankers on July 6 and July 12.
The results from the Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock & Food (CALF) on July 17 confirmed the adulteration. Further allegations were raised that the ghee sourced from AR Dairy Foods contained foreign fats, including soybean oil, sunflower oil, and possibly lard. Sharmila pointed out that the low tender price of Rs 320 per kg, compared to the market price of over Rs 1,000 per kg, raised serious concerns about the quality of ghee being supplied. Sharmila criticized the State’s handling of the investigation, saying it was clouded by partisan politics. “The issue is too significant to be left to an SIT headed by an officer of IG rank, as directed by the Chief Minister,” she wrote, adding that the Congress Party sought a fair and transparent investigation under the direct supervision of the Supreme Court.
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