Prasadam, as sacred as the god. Adulteration to Prasadam not only questions the faith of people but also the sanctity of God itself. Recently, at Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam the offered Laddus (Tirupati Laddu) to Lord Venkateswara were found adulterated with animal fat. According to Hindu Rituals animal fat like milk (ghee) is considered sacred while other fats like beef (Tallow) is considered as offensive as it is considered non-vegetarian food.
Religion is one of the important elements of an individual’s life. It gives identity to people, It teaches ethics and Morals, it provides a way of leaving. On the other hand it constrains us for wrong doing, teaches us humanity, and gives us the ability to fight the situation of crisis. Once the sacredness of religion is vanished then it can become the Opium of Masses (As explained by Karl Marx).
Stakeholders
Here, a question arises about the responsibility of stakeholders. The stakeholders are:-
1) The Ghee supply company: – A.R. dairy
A. R. Dairy food Company was accused for the adulteration of ghee supplied for making of Tirupati Laddu. But it denied by saying that they prepare Ghee from pure cow milk. Some dragged Amul into it, but Amul filed an FIR against the defamation.
2) TTD Board
Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam (TTD) Board, this board consists of trustees, and some members are appointed by the Andhra Pradesh Government, it also has an Executive Officer mainly from Indian Administrative Service. The day-to-day business and management is performed by an Executive officer. The management of Prasadam is also the responsibility of TTD Board. In Tirupati Laddu issue TTD Board is claiming that the Prasadam was not served.
3) Andhra Pradesh government
Andhra Pradesh government, the Temple of any state comes under state government’s jurisdiction. The donation, audit, management all are done under the supervision of the State Government.
4) FSSAI
FSSAI, Food Safety Standard Authority of India, is a statutory body, came into existence with FSSAI act 2006. It plays various roles related to food safety like setting the standard of food of good quality, maintaining public trust, giving license to the Food production Company.
5) The Quality Check Institution
This time the quality of Tirupati Laddu was done by Gujarat based National Dairy Development Board (NDDB). Earlier it was done by itself Quality Control Department of TTD.
6) Media
Media and Social Media played important role in propagation of issue with different theories and accusation. Tirupati Laddu issue dragged the temple and its authority into the media trial.
7) Common people
Common man is one of the stakeholders, because he is the one whose faith is breached, Who is misinformed and made to consume non-veg food. He is the one who has the Right to know what is going on, and why it happened.
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Ethical issues
1) Transparency and accountability
Trust, as an emotion comes with transparency and accountability, is authority ready for that, or questioning any issue is considered an offense? This initiative should come from the top, so that belief in institutions and faith in god are perpetuated.
2) Religious faith to marketability
Profit, it is the domain of company not of any Trust or Society. Yes, trusts also need profit to run their institution but not at the cost of their objective. Whenever marketability comes into picture, the cost cutting itself becomes the frame of that picture. These capitalist mindset should not be above the Religious faith.
3) Public health
Adulteration is an important concern for human civilization. If the wrong thing enters into the food cycle and has the ability to alter the gene, then it can lead to Pandemic like Covid19. Here in the case of Tirupati Laddu the if Ghee can be adulterated, then much more things can be.
4) Right to food
Right to food comes under Article 21(Right to Life) of Indian Constitution. Supreme Court in People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) vs. Union of India & Others (2001) case judgment declare it as a fundamental right. With the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 the Right was formally recognised. But here the question is Right to Choice of Food. Because ill informed citizens were served Non-veg food, even the food which is treated as an offense .
Some more question
1) Corruption, that too in religious institutions, doesn’t it come under the category of curse or it is just patented by Common Man?
2) With the case of Tirupati Laddu, we can say that Gaurakshak are doing well to save religion in two ways. But India ranks second in Beef export.
3) Who can be the softest target to be accused?
4) Does FSSAI have enough authority to intervene into the sacred?
5) Who can be fooled easily?
Some unforeseen event
Now, people are questioning Prasadam of various temples like Vrandavan temple of Uttar Pradesh. Here Dimple Yadav (MP from Samajwadi party) claiming food safety standard are not up to the mark.
Some Temples ate not accepting the food (for Prasadam) from market. It will hamper the economy of food industry.
Few thoughts about religion
Religion revolves around sacred things, as per Emile Durkheim religion has two elements, sacred and profane, here sacred is the thing which has immense importance to the religion on the other hand Profane is the thing of normal utility, he also explain that sacred and profane change their place with passage of time. For him if sacred loses its sanctity then it move towards profane and new profane will convert into sacred. But religion will be everywhere.
For Gandhi and Ambedkar, religion is very well connected to the society of India. So we cannot think India as independent of religion. Because it give identity , knowledge, respect, and maintain social construct of the society.
There are some critiques of religion but, here these are not the object of concern here.
Conclusion
The participation of each stakeholder is important in this scenario, where Food Company have to prove about its authenticity, or if some mistake were done by it then it has to confess. TTD Board has to examine the corruption element if any, through the internal committee. FSSAI plays an important role in investigation, it has to go for check if there any other type of adulteration. People have to ask question for their belief, faith and worship.
The prime motive should be that, the justice to be served to the identity of god (as served in the case of Ram Mandir Temple) and to the belief of the people. So, the trust will rebuild among the people. And the people’s believe on consumption of Tirupati Laddu remain the same.
Author:- K.D.