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Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Tuesday demanded the resignation of Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan and the dissolution of Travancore Devaswom Board over the Sabarimala gold "theft" issue. He also accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of trying to "brush the issue under the carpet."
"Our position as the BJP has been a sharp contrast with the attempts of the CM to try and brush this under the carpet. When 4.5 kgs of gold from a sacred shrine like Sabarimala go missing, we consider it a crime...So, we have maintained from day 1 that this cannot be possible in a CPI(M) Govt, nothing moves in the CPI(M) govt without the CM giving his nod," Chandrasekhar told ANI. He alleged a larger conspiracy and wanted the investigation to cover the last 30-year period. "Nothing gets done without a Minister saying yes. There is a larger conspiracy, and there is certainly a very legitimate requirement for Minister Vasavan to resign...He was overseeing the loot from these temples. We have maintained from day 1 that the investigation should go back to 30 years, the vigilance report for the last 30 years should be made public, and those who are culpable - Devaswom Minister should resign and the Devaswom Board should be dissolved. They should be investigated and they should be made to pay the price," he said. Earlier this month, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Kerala High Court arrested Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case. Unnikrishnan Potti''s arrest pertains to the theft of gold plating from the sanctum''s wooden panels and the Dwarapalaka (door guardian) sculptures at Sabarimala temple. The action comes on the fifth day of the court-monitored SIT probe. Earlier, the Travancore Devaswam Board (TDB) president PS Prasanth suspended assistant engineer K Sunil Kumar for his alleged involvement in the Sabarimala gold theft case. Kumar has been named as an accused in the case. Prasanth said that the Kerala government, along with the Devaswom Board, has a clear stance that lost property must be recovered and culprits must be punished. He further stated that "protest against the Devaswom Board and attacks on employees" was regrettable since the Board was moving while upholding all rituals and traditions. (ANI)
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