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Chaotic scenes marked the proceedings of the Kerala Legislative Assembly session on Monday. Opposition MLAs protested vociferously on the investigation into the Sabrimala Gold Theft case.
Opposition members held placards in the House calling for the resignation of the Devaswom Minister V. N. Vasavan alleging that the state government has failed to ensure a proper investigation. Even as the opposition protested, Law Minister P Rajeev stood up in the house and said that the High Court ws supervising the Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigation into the Sabarimala gold theft case, adding that the government does not need to express an opinion on the Kollam Court's bail order for the Tantri. Speaking on the bail granted to the Sabarimala Tantri, Rajeev said, "The High Court is supervising the SIT investigation. The Government does not need to express an opinion.The Kollam Court verdict was like a final judgment. The nature of the order was like a Supreme Court verdict. There is an abnormality in the order that granted bail to the Tantri." The Minister of Law said that the Bench of the High Court had specifically observed that the probe into the Gold theft case was moving in the right direction. "It is good that he (K Babu) finally got a chance to speak, but his remarks were directly against the High Court. The investigation in this case is being overseen entirely by the Division Bench of the High Court. In open court, the Bench clearly stated that the probe is proper, error-free, and moving in the right direction. Yet he describes that investigation as a violation of ritual practices, which itself is objectionable. The government's stand is very clear: whether it is the Thantri or anyone else involved, we have no opinion on whether they are accused or not. The probe is fully under the supervision of the High Court Division Bench. We have no access to any investigation report. All reports sealed in envelopes go directly to the Division Bench," he said. "Even after the High Court confirmed that the investigation is fair, continuing this protest shows it is driven purely by political motives. Let us also remember, in 1987, during the Lok Sabha election, it was the Congress that first raised the slogan of 'Ram Rajya' in Faizabad. It was the Congress that reopened the locks thrown into the Saryu River during Jawaharlal Nehru's time. It was the Congress that allowed the laying of the Shilanyas in Ayodhya. In reality, it was Congress that paved the way for the BJP's Hindutva and temple-based politics. Today, Congress talks about a 'new era', but that new era is simply a gateway into the BJP's era," he added. Rajeev's explanation failed to placate the opposition benches as they staged a walkout from the Assembly. The Sabarimala gold theft case involves allegations of misappropriation of approximately 4.54 kilograms of gold from sacred temple artefacts, including the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) door frames and Dwarapalaka idols. The theft allegedly occurred in 2019 under the pretext of refinishing and re-gold-plating temple structures. The controversy traces its origins to a 1998 donation by industrialist Vijay Mallya, who contributed 30.3 kilograms of gold and 1,900 kilograms of copper for gold plating and cladding at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple. Subsequent inspections and court-monitored inquiries revealed discrepancies between the donated gold and the quantity allegedly used, prompting a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe. The case has drawn significant public attention given the temple's religious importance, and the legal proceedings continue to unfold under the supervision of the Kerala High Court. (ANI)
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