A letter petition was addressed to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Friday seeking the immediate intervention of the Supreme Court in a controversy surrounding allegations that “non-vegetarian products” were used in the preparation of the laddus during the previous Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) Trust management.
The letter petition filed on behalf of Suresh Chavhanke, the Editor-in-chief and Managing Director of Sudarshan News, said the issue was of “profound national and religious importance that affects the religious sentiments of Hindu devotees across India and worldwide”.
The petition, represented by advocate Satayam Singh, said the alleged act violated the fundamental tenets of Hindu religious customs, infringed the right to freedom of religion enshrined in Article 25 of the Constitution and cuts a deep gash in the sentiments of countless devotees who regard the preparation of prasadam using vegetarian ingredients as a practice essential to the faith.
“This egregious violation at the Tirumala Tirupati Balaji Temple is not merely an isolated incident but a symptom of a larger, systemic issue plaguing the management of our sacred institutions. It brings to light the pressing need for devoted and culturally sensitive management of our temples,” the petition said.