The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wrapped up its impactful day-and-night protest outside the Thiruvananthapuram Secretariat on Saturday, following an intense 24-hour demonstration. Hundreds of party workers from across various districts converged, effectively laying siege to the government’s administrative hub from Friday night through Saturday, their voices echoing with devotional bhajans and hymns dedicated to Lord Ayyappa.
Activists successfully blockaded all three Secretariat gates. Senior BJP figures, including State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar and former Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan, were prominently present. Inaugurating the protest at the north gate, Mr. Chandrasekhar asserted that the gold theft at Sabarimala was not merely an administrative lapse but a deep-seated conspiracy involving not just officials, but also Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan. He declared the BJP’s unwavering commitment to continuing their agitation until all those responsible are incarcerated.
Allegations of Widespread Temple Misappropriation
Chandrasekhar further highlighted a pattern of alleged financial irregularities, claiming that 4.5 kilograms of gold were pilfered from Sabarimala alone, and a staggering ₹25 crore was siphoned off from the Guruvayur Devaswom. He also cited similar acts of looting from the Malabar Devaswom and other temples across the state. Dismissing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s characterization of these incidents as mere ‘lapses,’ Chandrasekhar vehemently termed them as ‘orchestrated looting’ on a grand scale.
He revealed that the special investigation team reportedly holds evidence implicating the Devaswom Minister in the gold theft. The BJP’s resolve remains firm: they will continue their fight until the Minister resigns. Additionally, Chandrasekhar called upon the Chief Minister to dissolve the Travancore Devaswom Board and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the entire affair, emphasizing that a democratic government’s fundamental duty is to address the pain and anguish of its devotees.