Kerala HC seeks report on ‘halal-certified’ jaggery at Sabarimala temple

S J R Kumar, general convener of the pro-BJP Sabarimala Action Committee, claimed that the temple administration was using “spoiled” Halal-certified jaggery powder at Sabarimala.

“It is highly disheartening to see that the food materials prepared following the rituals and religious practices of another religion with its certification is accepted as food material for the preparation of Naivedyam/Prasada in a Hindu temple having its own rituals and customs,’’ said the petition.

The petitioner, a former president of state unit of VHP, even claimed that “Muslim religious scholars have been proclaiming publicly that saliva is a necessary ingredient for certifying halal in the preparation of food materials”.

Travancore Devaswom Board chief and senior CPI(M) leader K Ananthagopan dismissed the allegations. “In 2018, a Maharashtra-based company supplied jaggery for Sabarimala. The firm was engaged in exporting jaggery and these export bags mentioned halal certification. As those bags were found to be of inferior quality, we hadn’t used that supply at the temple. The allegation is baseless and we will take legal action,’’ he said.

The court asked the temple officials to submit a report on the issue.

Meanwhile, the annual pilgrimage at the temple began on Tuesday.