Kerala’s Minister for Devaswoms, V.N. Vasavan, announced his full support on Monday for the high-level inquiry initiated by the Kerala High Court into the alleged gold ‘theft’ at the revered Sabarimala temple. He highlighted that the core issues of this controversy trace back to 2019, suggesting that its resurfacing now is a calculated move to cast a shadow over the ongoing Global Ayyappa Sangamam conclave.
During a press briefing in Thiruvananthapuram, Mr. Vasavan criticized the Congress-led Opposition, the UDF, accusing them of intentionally presenting the matter as a recent development.
The Minister affirmed the Kerala government’s unwavering faith in the High Court’s decision and pledged complete cooperation. He voiced his strong belief that this court-mandated investigation will meticulously reveal all facts surrounding the incident, spanning from 1998 – when Vijay Mallya’s UB Group initially donated gold to the temple – right up to the present day.
Mr. Vasavan clarified that the incidents central to this dispute did not occur recently but originated in 2019.
He further pointed out potential procedural oversights from 2019, specifically when certain metal plaques were transported to Chennai for gold-plating by Unnikrishnan Potty, a former helper at the Sabarimala temple, who is now a key figure in this controversy. A significant lapse, according to the Minister, was the absence of Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials accompanying Mr. Potty at that time.
“Let every aspect of this incident be thoroughly examined,” Mr. Vasavan stated, while also emphasizing that the State government maintains a policy of non-interference in the daily operations of the TDB.
He reiterated his suspicion regarding the timing of the current allegations, implying they are part of a larger conspiracy.
Mr. Potty had initially made claims about missing artifacts on September 17th, notably just three days before the Global Ayyappa Sangamam was set to begin.
It was later confirmed that these allegedly missing artifacts were recovered from his sister’s residence.