Aranmula (Pathanamthitta): Kerala’s Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Travancore Devaswom Board and both the current and previous LDF governments, alleging a high-level conspiracy in the theft of gold from the Sabarimala temple. Speaking to the media in Aranmula, Satheesan claimed the disappearance of the gold plates was a “robbery and a scam” carried out with the full knowledge of the Devaswom Board and a private intermediary.
“What happened at Sabarimala is theft. The gold offered by devotees has been looted with the knowledge of the Devaswom Board and an intermediary,” Satheesan declared. He accused officials of deliberately suppressing an internal investigation report to shield the culprits.
The controversy revolves around the gold-plated panels of the temple’s Dwarapalakas (guardian deities), which were sponsored and installed by an individual named Unnikrishnan Potti. Satheesan alleged that these plates, which had a 40-year warranty, were removed for “maintenance” after just 20 years in violation of all rules and without High Court permission.
“An internal probe by the Devaswom Board itself found that gold was missing when the plates were returned. Instead of taking action, this report was buried to help the thieves. Two Devaswom Ministers and two Devaswom Board Presidents are accountable for this,” the Opposition Leader stated.
Raising a series of pointed questions, Satheesan demanded clarity on the role of the intermediary and the Board’s actions:
- “Why did the current Devaswom President grant permission to take the gold plates outside the temple premises, violating the rule that repairs must be done within the temple compound?”
- “Who is this Unnikrishnan Potti? Who authorized him to handle the gold plates and conduct fundraising in the name of Sabarimala?”
- “How did the missing gold end up at his relative’s house? Against whom has a case been registered?”
Satheesan dismissed those currently facing investigation as mere intermediaries in a larger criminal case where “kilograms of gold have been stolen by cheating Lord Ayyappa.” He alleged that the continued protection of the main culprits suggests that higher officials may have received a share of the stolen wealth. “When they realized the amount of gold was reduced, they chose to protect the thieves. This implies they must be getting a cut,” he alleged.
