Even as more and more videos appear on social media where Islamists spit into food in the name of making it Halal (‘pure’ or permissible as per Islamic law), images emerged of Halal-stamped jaggery sacks stocked at Sabarimala temple. The 2-month long annual pilgrimage called the Mandala Makaravilaku began on Monday. Devotees were shocked to see halal jaggery being used to make payasams and appams that are offered as nivedhyam to Bhagwan Ayyappa and then sold as prasadam to the public. 

Jaggery is being procured from a private company and Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) godowns at both Pamba and Nilakkal have stocked the produce. Tenders were invited by TDB and the contract was awarded to a Maharashtra-based halal-certified private company.

More sickening news followed when it was found that the same devaswom had to auction off decayed jaggery bought from the same company for Sabarimala. Of the 40 lakh kilos purchased during the 2019 season, 3 lakh remained unused in early 2020 when the temple closed. In August this year, the food and safety department inspected it and found that it had become useless. 

That jaggery was supplied by the same halal-certified company. Good quality jaggery when stored properly never gets spoiled but instead, its health benefits improve as it gets older. Chemicals like sulfur are used as additives due to which such adulterated jaggery goes bad, and the TDB has been using such jaggery, all along. This year’s purchase of 9.5 lakh kilos of halal jaggery from the same supplier can be added to that list. 

Though the law specifies that such spurious or spoiled food items should be destroyed, the TDB went ahead and auctioned the rotten jaggery to private companies. Originally bought for Rs.36/kilo, the rotten jaggery was disposed of for Rs.16.30/kilo. As per laws, it is the responsibility of the food and safety department to destroy such rotten edibles and its re-auction is nothing but criminal negligence.

SJR Kumar, Gen. Secretary of Sabarimala Karma Samithi and former president of VHP Kerala took the matter to the High Court of Kerala. His counsel contended that the use of halal-certified jaggery prepared as per the religious practices of another religion in Hindu temples is a grave desecration of religious rituals. Offering the same to the deity is a serious sin and is against the customs being followed at the temple since ancient times. Also, auction of rotten jaggery was illegal, it was argued.

The court asked the TDB counsel for clarification and the reply was that the bidder took the jaggery for use in distilleries (for brewing alcohol). He had no choice but to say that it will not be used for any other purposes, when asked: “Are you sure that this will be used for that purpose only?” How will either the court or the government confirm whether private players have sold the rotten jaggery in the open market, remains unknown. When asked how rotten food items could be sold, he had nothing to reply. 

Also, the very thought of something purchased for preparing temple prasad later being sold for brewing alcohol would be horrifying to any practising Hindu. But Hindu Dharmic beliefs and sensitivities come last for govt-controlled temple boards, especially those controlled by Hindu-hating Communists.

Asked about the halal labels, the lawyer said that the Mumbai-based manufacturer exports jaggery to Arab countries and hence the Halal certification. He added that the same jaggery was supplied to the Sabarimala temple.

Meanwhile, former TDB president N Vasu admitted to media reporters that Sabarimala temple has used halal jaggery previously. He shamelessly added that the supplier told him that there is no dilution in its quality. As long as the government holds on to temple administration, such atheists will keep on destroying our temples.

Unless there is strong resistance from Hindu faithful themselves, our courts/ communists/ central government and anti-Hindu forces will keep passing the buck and justice will never be truly delivered. It is not just the Sabarimala temple that is slowly but surely being destroyed, but the same is happening with almost all government-controlled temples.