FIR against some X users for spreading 'misinformation' that 'Amul' ghee used in Tirupati laddus
Ahmedabad, Sep 21: Police on Saturday registered a case against seven users of social media platform 'X' for allegedly spreading misinformation that the "low quality" ghee used for making laddus at the Tirupati temple belonged to the 'Amul' brand, an official said.
A massive political row has erupted after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu claimed that animal fat was used in making laddus made Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirupati during the previous government in the state.
Anand-based Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which markets its milk and dairy products under the brand name 'Amul', has denied having supplied ghee (clarified butter) to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the temple.
As per the FIR, X users of seven different handles spread misinformation that ghee with animal fat used for preparing laddus for Tirupati Balaji temple belonged to the 'Amul' brand with the intention of harming the reputation of the GCMMF, the cyber crime police station official said.
These X users spread misinformation that ghee sold under the Amul brand was used to prepare laddus which is then used as 'prasad' (offering) at the temple in Tirupati, thereby damaging the reputation of the co-operative organisation, it said.
The FIR was filed at the Ahmedabad cyber crime police station.
The accused persons were booked under sections 336 (4) and 196 (1) (a) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita dealing with forgery intending to harm the reputation of any party, and promoting enmity on grounds of religion, race, etc, respectively.
The police also invoked provisions of the Information Technology (IT) Act, the official said.
The GCMMF issued a clarification on its X handle 'Amul.coop' on Friday night and said it never supplied Amul ghee to the TTD.
"We also wish to clarify that Amul ghee is made from milk at our state-of-the-art production facilities which are ISO-certified. Amul ghee is made from high quality pure milk fat...This post is being issued to stop this misinformation campaign against Amul," it said.
GCMMF Managing Director Jayen Mehta said that certain persons were spreading misinformation that the low-quality ghee used at the Tirupati temple was supplied by Amul.
"Cyber crime has registered an FIR against those spreading misinformation against us," Mehta said.
He said that such misinformation is a matter of serious concern for 36 lakh dairy farmer families dependent on Amul for their livelihood.
"We never supplied the ghee to the temple. We have lodged an FIR to stop this misinformation," he said.
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'Modi and all other PMs have offered chadar': Owaisi blames RSS, BJP for Ajmer Dargah row
New Delhi, Nov 28: All Indian prime ministers, including Narendra Modi, have offered 'chadar' at Ajmer Sharif Dargah and the controversy over the claim that the Sufi shrine was a temple was directly or indirectly linked to the BJP and the RSS, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi said on Thursday.
A court on Wednesday admitted a petition seeking to declare the Mughal-era shrine a Shiva temple. Several opposition leaders raised serious concerns over the controversy on the Ajmer Dargah, which comes close on the heels of similar claims made regarding a mosque in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal.
"The Dargah Sharif has been there for 800 years. Every prime minister of the country sends 'chadar' for the dargah during 'Urs'. Official delegations from neighbouring countries come there, Indian diaspora from all over the world visit the dargah... Now suddenly you are raising this issue..." Owaisi told reporters outside Parliament.
"Where will all this stop? What will happen to the Places of Worship Act, 1991?"
The Places of Worship Act 1991 states that the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947, must be maintained.
Owaisi continued, "What would Narendra Modi say? The dargah where he offered 'chadar' is not a dargah? What would ASI say?"
"This is being done to destabilise the country... I am saying repeatedly that these things are not in favour of the country. These people are related directly or indirectly with BJP, RSS... no one can deny this," he said.
The Ajmer court issued notices to the Ajmer Dargah Committee, the Ministry of Minority Affairs and the Archaeological Survey of India on the plea seeking to declare the shrine a temple. The suit was filed in Ajmer in September.
The court's notice came just days after four people were killed in violence following a court ordering a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, which petitioners said was built after destroying an old temple.
Samajwadi Party's Rampur MP Mohibbullah Nadvi said the petition on Ajmer Dargah was "painful".
"Some people have lost their cool after the 2024 (Lok Sabha) election results as they didn't get the majority. These people want to target a particular community to please the majority. This is their misbelief," he told reporters outside Parliament.
Saharanpur MP Imran Masood said an atmosphere of hatred has been created in the country. "They did it in Sambhal yesterday. Now they did it in Ajmer. What is this drama?" he said.
"BJP and the government should think, this country cannot be run by hatred, you cannot sideline 25 crore people. How would the country develop without their contribution? We are very clear, your party may become stronger by creating hatred, but it is not good for the country," the Congress leader said addressing reporters outside Parliament.
He also targeted the Uttar Pradesh government over the Sambhal violence. "Do Muslim lives not matter? They will shoot us in the head? Stone pelting is wrong but they could have shot at the leg, why did they shoot people in the head and chest?" he said.
Police have denied opening fire at the protesters in Sambhal, saying "rioters" carried out shootings and stone pelting. A magisterial probe into the violence is ongoing.
Samajwadi Party's Mainpuri MP Dimple Yadav reiterated her party's demand for a discussion on the Sambhal issue in Parliament.
"Our main issue is that we want a discussion on Sambhal in Lok Sabha. Speaker sir has assured that there will be a discussion. Police personnel are harassing, manipulating people in Uttar Pradesh. The police administration is working like this in the entire state," she said.
Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) MP from Nagina in Uttar Pradesh, Chandra Shekhar said these incidents create a trust deficit in the country.
"What if a Buddhist says there is a Buddhist temple under Hindu temples and demands a probe? Those who are encouraging this should also answer what would be the outcome... Employment, price rise, health, education, farmers, women... these are the issues, should we talk about these issues or religious places?" he said.
"What is this drama, Kashi, Mathura, Sambhal, Ajmer, what more do we have to witness? Where is the prime minister? He and the Supreme Court should take cognisance. This is being done to distract attention from real issues, but the trust deficit it is creating is dangerous," he said. AO SKY
