Kerala’s political landscape is simmering with outrage over the arrest and subsequent bail of Sabarimala Tantri Kantaru Rajeevaru in the temple’s gold theft scandal. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s administration has rebuffed opposition narratives painting the move as a revenge tactic, vowing that justice remains untainted.
Speaking forcefully, Law Minister P. Rajeev clarified that the SIT operated without governmental nudge, basing the Tantri’s detention on irrefutable leads. He branded allegations of a conspiracy—tied to Rajeevaru’s defiance against women’s temple access—as utterly unfounded.
The saga began with the Tantri’s custody extension to 40 days, prompting his bail petition where he claimed victimization for his conservative stance on Sabarimala traditions. Relief came from the Kollam court this week, which found no smoking gun connecting him to the heist.
Leading the charge, V.D. Satheesan has demanded high court intervention to scrutinize the arrest’s backdrop. Why the secrecy on charges? What evidence justified such harsh treatment? He spotlighted social media glee from CPI(M) loyalists, interpreting it as proof of political glee over the Tantri’s humiliation.
The opposition’s January 11 alert for full disclosure on all players—from politicians to priests—resonates louder now. ‘Punish the guilty, but inform the people,’ they proclaim, pushing for supervised probes to restore faith.
In a tactical retreat, the SIT shelved its appeal against bail, likely to dodge accusations of hounding the religious figure. Judicial oversight persists, but the LDF’s grip on the narrative weakens as rivals amplify claims of misuse of power in this emotive religious-political nexus.