The Supreme Court dismissed plea for a separate 'Tirupati' state, stating that it would then have to allot a state for other temples in India.
Published Nov 08, 2024 | 11:15 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 08, 2024 | 11:15 PM
Supreme Court dismisses plea seeking separate state for Tirupati
The Supreme Court, on Friday, 8 November, dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), seeking to declare Tirupati as a separate state or Union Territory. concerning.
The PIL by Evangelist Dr KA Paul also sought a CBI probe into the alleged adulteration in the preparation of Tirupati laddu. His petition was against the Andhra Pradesh government, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), and CBI among others, according to Live Law.
Citing the example of the Vatican, a country created for just over 700 people, Paul sought a separate state for Tirupati. Though he argued in person that the petition was to protect the image of his state, Andhra Pradesh, the Supreme Court dismissed his plea.
“Then we will have to have a separate state for Jagannath Puri, for Kedarnath, for Badrinath, for Madurai temple, for Rameshwaram temple…,” a Supreme Court bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan said.
The court also refused to pass any direction regarding the timeline for submission of SIT’s report. According to The Hindu, Paul’s petition sought a “comprehensive CBI investigation into the allegations of corruption and mismanagement” over the procurement of ingredients for Tirupati laddu and its preparation.
The controversy began when Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu made a sensational allegation, that animal fat was used in the preparation of laddu during the YSRCP regime at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala.
Naidu made the charge while addressing an NDA legislature party meeting on 18 September amidst his tirade against YSRCP’s five-year “misrule”. He also said there was a deliberate conspiracy to desecrate the temple.
“The former chief minister had ignored laboratory reports on the quality of Tirumala laddu and food served under the Annadanam scheme,” he said and accused YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of siphoning off ₹520 crore from the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Trust.
Though an official working for the TTD debunked the claim, the damage was already done.
Animal fat has never been used in the history of Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam (TTD) to prepare the famous laddus, said an official working for the temple.
Officials had noted that consignments with adulterated ghee are rejected and, in case of repeat offences, the vendors were blacklisted from participating in the tender process to supply ghee to TTD.
Two weeks after Naidu’s controversial allegation, the Supreme Court ordered the constitution of a five-member independent probe committee to investigate whether adulterated ghee was used in the making of Tirumala laddus.
This superseded the SIT formed by the Andhra Pradesh government to probe the same allegation. The apex court had also criticised Andhra Pradesh chief minister for making such allegations.
(Edited by Neena)
