Kerala BJP President, Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Wednesday described the developments of the Sabarimala gold controversy as “far more disturbing” and expressed deep anguish.
The BJP leader said that the incident was not a loot, rather a ‘sacrilege’ and a betrayal of Swami Ayyappa and millions of devotees across the world.
In a post on X, Chandrasekhar wrote, “As an Ayyappa bhakt, the pain and hurt I felt earlier has now deepened even further. The looting at Sabarimala extended beyond 4.5 kg of gold.”
“Investigations now show that under the LDF-appointed Devaswom board, 4 Panchaloha idols were taken out of Sabarimala and sold to international criminal networks,” he claimed.
He further alleged, “Most shocking of all, parts of the sacred Pathinettam Padi, which were replaced during the UDF regime in 2015, were tampered with and looted.”
The BJP leader emphasised that political complicity was involved, and stated, “As I said earlier, arresting a Unnikrishnan Potty or a Vasu is not enough. This is a larger political conspiracy initiated under the Congress-UDF and perfected under the CPM-LDF. This is not just loot. This is sacrilege. This is a betrayal of Swami Ayyappa and millions of bhakts like me across the world.”
He urged a more robust investigation, saying, “A SIT cannot uncover the truth; only a CBI probe can.”Chandrashekhar also criticised the state government, alleging, “And let us not forget, CM @PinarayiVijayan tried to cover up this shameless crime, as a ‘slip-up.’ We will ensure justice for Ayyappa bhakts.”
Meanwhile, the controversy has triggered political repercussions in Kerala. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan earlier said the CPI(M) would not shield anyone found guilty, stating, “Whoever is guilty, the party will not protect them,” as the investigation began to involve individuals with political affiliations.
The Sabarimala gold controversy pertains to alleged irregularities in the gold plating of the Sabarimala temple. The issue traces back to a 1998 donation of 30.3 kg of gold and 1,900 kg of copper by industrialist Vijay Mallya for cladding the sanctum sanctorum and wooden carvings of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple.
Earlier, after the arrest of CPM district committee member A. Padmakumar in the case, CPM Pathanamthitta District Secretary Raju Abraham said, “The CPM State Committee is the authority that must provide the direction to the Pathanamthitta District Committee on how to handle the Padmakumar issue. The matter was not discussed at the recent committee meeting and the District Committee is awaiting formal instructions.”
He added, “Any formal disciplinary action by the State Committee will be taken only after the final investigation report is submitted.”
CPM State Secretary MV Govindan said, “Once a decision is made, the CPM Pathanamthitta District Committee will implement stern disciplinary action.”
Chief Minister Vijayan has maintained that it would not be appropriate for him to comment in detail on the matter, noting that the probe is being conducted under the direct supervision of the High Court.
