Thiruvananthapuram: The ongoing controversy surrounding the theft and alleged sale of the original ‘Dwarapalaka’ (Gatekeeper) idol from the Sabarimala Sree Ayyappa Temple escalated sharply today, with Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan directly challenging Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the state government. Satheesan claimed that former Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran knows the identity of the billionaire who purchased the original statue, demanding the Chief Minister break his silence on the scandal.
In a blistering attack on the government, Satheesan questioned the Chief Minister’s silence despite what he sarcastically termed the ‘discovery of alchemy’—referring to the reported changing of the idol from gold to copper.
Accusations of Cover-Up and Complicity
”It’s the third day the Opposition is protesting in the Assembly. We gave notice on the 19th. Where was the Chief Minister’s voice then?” Satheesan asked, referring to the delayed response to the issue in the Assembly. “Shouldn’t he have held a press conference and stated the government’s position? Shouldn’t he have promised action against the guilty? Where was his tongue?”
The Opposition Leader asserted that the theft was not limited to the Dwarapalaka idol, but also included the door frame and door. He further alleged that the government’s subsequent action—re-inviting the accused artisan, Unnikrishnan Potti—was a clear attempt to facilitate more theft. “The plan this time was to steal the main Ayyappa idol as well,” he claimed.
High Court’s Role and Call for CBI Probe
Satheesan expressed the Opposition’s lack of faith in the State Police and the current system, which prompted their initial demand for a High Court-monitored investigation. He noted that the High Court has since appointed a special investigation team, with all senior officers decided by the court itself, which he called a sign of “no confidence in the government.”
He defended the earlier call for a CBI probe, stating it was necessary because the Dwarapalaka idol was allegedly sold to buyers outside Kerala. Satheesan insisted that the High Court’s verdict explicitly mentions that the genuine Dwarapalaka idol was sold for a substantial price to a billionaire who was allegedly duped into buying a “stolen item” disguised as an antique.
‘A Conspiracy to Shield the Guilty’
The Opposition Leader went on to allege a conspiracy involving the former Minister and the previous temple board. He suggested that if Potti was solely responsible, a case would have been filed against him back in 2022.
”They covered it up, thinking no one would find out,” Satheesan stated. “Then, two or three years later, [Ministers] Vasavan and Prashant invited the person who sold the Dwarapalaka statue back. We have to suspect if this was an attempt to sell the remaining Ayyappa idol and make a duplicate mould.”
He concluded with a direct accusation of high-level complicity: “If Unnikrishnan Potti gets caught, Kadakampally, the then Board President, and the current members will all be in trouble. That’s why they provided him with the documentation saying the statue was copper. They are all seasoned thieves,” Satheesan declared, signalling that the Opposition will continue its fierce protests both inside and outside the Legislative Assembly.
