Thiruvananthapuram, 1 October (IANS) Opposition leader VD Satheson on Wednesday raised serious concerns over the climb of the gold climb of the Dwarpalak idol at the Sabarimala temple, questioning the handling of the sacred property.
“There was a 40 -year warranty in the gold plating made in 1999, yet it is surprising why it was sent again while the warranty was still valid,” Satheson asked.
He said that the weight of gold sent for offering was 42 kg, but when it returned, four kilograms were missing.
“Why was no inspection done on returning?” He asked.
Sathson also questioned the role of Annikrishna Poti and commented, “It is strange that those who used to steal gold were seen meeting a global Ayyappa meeting.”
Amidst controversy, former Travancore Devaswom Board (Body running temple affairs), President A. Padmakumar on Wednesday also demanded a thorough investigation into the administrative decisions taken during the previous years.
Padmakumar questioned whether all approval and works were carried out according to Devaswom Manual.
He especially cited the installation of a folding roof above the 18th phase, asking for whose tenure it was kept.
“During my tenure, it was removed after being found unnecessarily,” he said.
He also urged to examine the foreign visits made by the officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board, stating that any time should be investigated during his own tenure or earlier period.
Padmakumar called for an inquiry to include cases before 2019 and went back by 1998, referring to the gold-plating sponsor under Vijay Mallya.
He emphasized transparency and accountability in the administration of the temple and demanded that all alleged irregularities be investigated.
Meanwhile, Anantagopan another top CPI-M leader who succeeded in Padmakumar said that there was no loss in moving forward with an investigation, which reflects the cooperative stance towards transparency.
The Kerala High Court on Monday on Monday made all these new statements, directing a detailed investigation into the gold plating dispute, emphasizing rigorous investigation and confidentiality.
The court directed the Chief Vigilance Officer of the Travancore Devaswom Board to conduct an inquiry with a retired District Judge, leading the investigation.
Investigations will include verification of goods in strong rooms, examination of thiruvabharanam register, and reporting any laps by the authorities.
The court highlighted discrepancies in the weight of the gold-coated plate, especially about four kilograms of loss when it returned and emphasized the need to keep the appropriate records.
Senior CPI-M leader EP Jayarajan, who joined the issue, was defending the board, stating that the meeting of Sabarimala held last month should be seen as part of increasing the global stature of the temple.
Comparing those efforts of those in Mecca and Medina, he said that attracting devotees from far away also leads to revenue, which highlights the comprehensive economic and cultural context of temple management.
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SG/Red