Sabarimala gold theft: Congress to hold ‘secretariat march’ on Nov 12
Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress on Friday decided to intensify its protest over the Sabarimala gold theft case, with a ‘secretariat march’ planned for November 12, said Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph.
He said the recent observations made by the Kerala High Court in the case were “shocking” and underscored the magnitude of the scandal.
“The court itself had to describe it as an international loot,” Joseph remarked, adding that the case has laid bare the deep political involvement behind the gold theft.
Joseph demanded the immediate resignation of the Devaswom Minister and officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), holding them responsible for the lapses.
“The role of political leadership is evident. Merely interrogating N. Vasu (the accused) will not bring out the truth — the investigation must question those at the top,” he said.
The Congress leadership has alleged that the state government is attempting to downplay the issue and protect those in power.
The party’s ‘secretariat march’ is expected to mark a major phase in its agitation, with participation from senior leaders, MLAs, and workers from across the state.
The Sabarimala gold theft case has triggered political uproar after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) report and subsequent court observations pointed to irregularities in the gold plating of the temple’s sanctum doors.
The Congress-led Opposition has accused the ruling front of shielding those responsible, demanding an impartial probe monitored by the court.
With the Congress announcing its next round of protests, the controversy surrounding the Sabarimala gold theft continues to deepen, adding to the political tensions ahead of the local body elections.
Meanwhile, on Friday, the Ranni Magistrate Court handed over the fourth accused, K.S. Byju, who was arrested on Thursday night, to police custody for 14 days.
The Court also gave the serving TDB official, Murari Babu, who was in judicial custody, to the police for further interrogation.
Likewise, Sudheesh Kumar, a retired TDB employee who was also in judicial custody, has been handed over to the police as part of the continuation of the probe.
The prime accused and one who was arrested first, Unnikrishnan Potti, continues to be in judicial custody.
Meanwhile, the CPI-M state secretary M.V. Govindan on Friday said the decision has been made to appoint a new TDB team as the term of the present board is ending next week.
“It will be the government which will make the announcement,” said Govindan.
The decision will be announced as soon as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan returns from a Middle East tour.