Thiruvananthapuram erupted in protests on Tuesday as Kerala BJP unleashed a fierce demonstration against the alleged Sabarimala gold theft scandal. Party president Rajiv Chandrasekhar led the charge, demanding that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan seek forgiveness from Lord Ayyappa for mishandling the case.
The ‘Ayyappa Jyoti’ protest unfolded right outside the CM’s official residence, Cliff House. BJP workers lit lamps, raised slogans, and accused the government of shielding real culprits while targeting devotees and temple authorities. Chandrasekhar slammed the arrest of Sabarimala’s tantri, the chief priest, as politically motivated and lacking solid evidence.
He alleged that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) acted to protect Devaswom Minister and other government figures implicated in the gold heist. Despite court observations noting no concrete proof against the tantri, authorities rushed the arrest, claimed Chandrasekhar, calling it a diversion from larger questions surrounding the scam.
BJP outlined three key demands: a CBI probe into the Sabarimala gold theft, withdrawal of the state government’s Supreme Court affidavit, and dismissal of ‘false cases’ against pilgrims. The party further charged that middlemen working for both CPI(M) and Congress have tainted the investigation.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court queried if any gold remains in the temple during a bail hearing for accused Pankaj Bhandari, scheduling the next hearing for March 9. So far, 13 individuals have been arrested, with six granted bail and others seeking the same.
This escalating row highlights deepening political divides over Sabarimala, a revered Hindu pilgrimage site, as devotees demand justice and transparency in the gold controversy.