Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Thiruvananthapuram sparked new controversy on Saturday, condemning the Kerala government for allegedly silencing protests over a reported gold theft from the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple.
V Muraleedharan, a senior BJP member, told reporters that people marching to the Devaswom Minister’s office in Kottayam were met with “strong‑arm tactics” and an “unwanted attack” on the demonstrators. He said the state authorities avoided answering questions raised by devotees and instead used force to drown out dissent. “The government is trying to silence and attack those who protest,” Muraleedharan added, promising that the BJP would keep the issue in the public eye.
Earlier, BJP’s Tarun Chugh criticized the Kerala administration in a scathing press conference, calling the left‑led government a “hub of corruption” that misuses temple resources. Chugh demanded a thorough, impartial investigation and urged officials to expose any irregularities in the Devaswom Board, the body that manages Sabarimala.
BJP’s Anoop Antony Joseph amplified the accusations, claiming that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Congress are conspiring to damage the temple. He said the gold theft was carried out with the knowledge of the Devaswom Board, linking the plot directly to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Joseph called for a comprehensive investigation that involves central agencies and demanded that Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan resign immediately.
These statements come amid ongoing protests by devotees and temple workers demanding the return of millions of rupees’ worth of gold that, according to opposition leaders, was stolen from the sacred site. The Kerala government has so far denied any wrongdoing, citing a lack of evidence and insisting that investigations remain underway.
As the controversy heats up, both the BJP and the Kerala administration face mounting pressure from the public and from religious groups. The upcoming central investigations and the response from the state’s Devaswom Board will likely shape the next steps in this high‑profile dispute over Sabarimala’s stolen gold.
Source: aninews
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