“We expect Gods to be kept away from politics, said the Supreme Court on Monday during the hearing on Tirupati laddu adulteration case. Justice B R Gavai and Justice K V Viswanathan heard the petitions filed by former MP Subrahmanya Swamy, Rajya Sabha member Y V Subba Reddy on the day. The petitioners wanted a court monitoring investigation into the allegations on laddu adulteration.
The Supreme Court questioned Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s claim that animal fat was used in the making of laddu and sought proof for his statement. The bench noted that the chief minister made the claim on September 18, even though the FIR in the matter was lodged on September 25, and a special investigation team (SIT) was constituted on September 26.
The court felt that it was not appropriate on the part of a higher constitutional functionary to go in public and make a statement which can affect the sentiments of crores of people. There was no justification for the chief minister to go to the press and make a statement, the Supreme Court observed. It further said that the controversy is meaningless if the adulterated ghee was not used to make laddus. The SC further said that the controversy is about faith and the people should not do politics over it.
The court asked the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to assist whether state appointed SIT should continue with the probe or the investigation be conducted by an independent agency. The SC also pulled up the Andhra Pradesh chief minister for making a statement on the issue when the adulteration was not confirmed and the adulterated ghee was not used in the preparation of Laddu.
Senior advocate Rajasekhar Rao appearing for Dr Subrahmanya Swamy told the court that he was a devotee himself. “This is a matter of concern too. The statement made in the press about the contamination has far reaching implications and can raise a whole lot of other issues and disturb communal harmony. Dr Swamy’s case is it was later pointed out that the ghee was never used and returned from Tirumala.
The case was further posted to Thursday.
