Sanjay Baru’s Op-Ed piece in yesterday’s Deccan Chronicle embodies what many perceive as a typical Woke reaction to the recent controversy surrounding the contamination of the sacred Tirupati laddus. The incident, which has raised concerns among millions of devotees across the world, is now being investigated by a special team set up by Andhra Pradesh’s Chief Minister, Chandrababu Naidu. Baru’s take, however, seems to trivialize the seriousness of the issue, as his article reads like a textbook example of how to downplay an incident that has significantly damaged the trust of Hindus in the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) management. Baru attempts to reframe the contamination scandal as a simple case of poor supply chain management or corruption, steering clear of the religious and emotional ramifications of the matter. In his eyes, Chandrababu Naidu is at fault for “communalizing” the issue, reducing it to a mere administrative lapse. This is characteristic of leftist reactions, which often prioritize downplaying the emotional and religious hurt caused by such events. What Baru fails to acknowledge is that the contamination scandal, whether intentional or not, has severely shaken the faith of millions of devotees, not just in Andhra Pradesh but around the globe. The purity of the laddus, considered sacred, is paramount to Hindus, and the incident has triggered widespread outrage.
One of the most striking aspects of Baru’s argument is his criticism of Pawan Kalyan, the deputy chief minister of Andhra Pradesh. According to Baru, Kalyan’s involvement in the issue is nothing more than a political stunt, driven by his association with Hindu symbolism. He mocks Kalyan’s adoption of a saffron angavastram (a traditional Hindu garment), likening it to a red flag that provokes leftist ire. By associating Kalyan’s religious attire with political posturing, Baru attempts to delegitimize the concerns raised by the Jana Sena Party leader. In his view, Kalyan’s outrage over the contaminated laddus is nothing more than an opportunistic ploy to stoke communal sentiments. Baru also drags the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) into the equation, accusing them of exploiting the controversy for political gain. He paints a picture where Naidu, Kalyan, and the BJP are all working together to stir a communal cauldron, inflaming tensions that could have been avoided had the incident been treated as a mere case of mismanagement. This narrative, however, ignores the deep emotional and religious significance of the issue for millions of Hindus. To suggest that the contamination of a sacred offering like the Tirupati laddus can be reduced to a bureaucratic failure is, at best, dismissive and, at worst, insulting to devotees who revere the laddus as prasadam (blessed food). Furthermore, Baru glosses over key facts in his op-ed. For instance, he makes no mention of the official certificate released by Naidu’s government, which details the extent of the contamination in the laddus. Nor does he address the fact that the long-standing contract with the Karnataka Milk Federation (Nandini) for ghee supply was terminated, leading to the purchase of “pure” ghee from AR Dairy of Tamil Nadu at a significantly lower cost of Rs. 320 per kilogram. These facts are crucial to understanding the gravity of the situation, yet they escape Baru’s narrative, which seems intent on shielding those responsible for the lapse.
In conclusion, Baru’s op-ed is a classic example of how certain commentators attempt to downplay religious controversies by framing them as administrative issues. By focusing on Chandrababu Naidu’s supposed communalization of the issue and Pawan Kalyan’s alleged opportunism, Baru misses the larger point: millions of Hindus feel betrayed by the TTD management. The contamination of the sacred laddus is not just a matter of poor supply chain management; it is a blow to the religious sentiments of devotees who place their faith in the purity of the offerings made to Lord Venkateswara. Instead of acknowledging this, Baru’s piece resorts to the familiar Woke playbook of trivializing religious concerns and shifting the blame to political figures. Has Baru ever dared, in his journalistic pursuits, to criticize wrongdoings in other faiths? What was he doing as the Press Advisor to former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh when the latter claimed that Muslims have the first right to India’s resources? Can Baru dare to ask an average Indian Muslim to say that he is first Indian and only then a Muslim?
