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Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 13 (IANS) Kerala Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan on Monday said the report submitted by Devaswom Vigilance to the Kerala High Court largely corroborates the opposition’s allegations regarding the Sabarimala gold heist and the sale of the Dwarapalaka idol to a billionaire.
According to Satheesan, reports show that gold plates from Sabarimala were sent to Chennai in 2019 in violation of the Devaswom manual.
“The items sent were fake moulds, while the original Dwarapalaka idol was sold to a billionaire with the knowledge and support of both the Devaswom board and the political leadership,” he said.
The Devaswom Board is currently under investigation.
Former Devaswom President A. Padmakumar was a CPI-M MLA. Satheesan alleged that the political leadership played an active role in both the gold theft and the idol sale, adding that the then Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran was fully aware of the activities.
“Just as the Devaswom Board is accountable, the then ministers are also accountable,” he said.
The report also said that in 2025, the Devaswom Board called Unnikrishnan Potti, bypassing the instructions of the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner. Despite clear instructions not to send the gold plates to Chennai, the Board Chairman handed over the keys to the person who eventually sold the idol.
Satheesan said the opposition has demanded the resignation of minister VN Vasavan and dissolution of the Devaswom board. Satheesan, who first raised the issue of sale of gold plates to a billionaire, led the opposition in the Assembly last week, where the House was adjourned early on all four days due to protests.
With the conclusion of the current assembly session, the Congress-led UDF has announced that it will continue to press for accountability.
A statewide protest march has been planned, culminating in a massive convention at Pandalam on 19 October.
The party has reiterated that it will not back down until minister VN Vasavan and Devaswom board president PS Prashant step down.
–IANS
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