Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru unequivocally rejected statements by Murari Babu, a Devaswom Board official currently under suspension. Babu had claimed that the gold plating of the Dwarapalaka idols at the revered Sabarimala Ayyappa temple received the Tantri’s direct consent.
Addressing the press, Mr. Rajeevaru clarified that he never granted permission for the idols to be transported to Chennai for any such work. He explained, “A written request was submitted when parts of these sculptures showed signs of fading. My approval was strictly for restoration work to be conducted on-site at Sabarimala. I never authorized their removal to Chennai. The decision to undertake gold plating, both previously and recently, was made without my knowledge or agreement.”
Furthermore, he emphasized that the idols were, in fact, fully gold-coated, a fact consistently supported by all his official communications on the matter. “Neither in 2019 nor at present have I ever sanctioned the gold plating of these idols outside the temple premises,” Mr. Rajeevaru reiterated firmly.