Kerala’s political landscape heated up Tuesday with BJP’s explosive protest over the Sabarimala gold heist. Outside CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s Cliff House, president Rajiv Chandrasekhar demanded the leader beg pardon from Lord Ayyappa for alleged investigative lapses.
The ‘Ayyappa Jyoti’ event featured glowing lamps and thundering chants, as activists decried the tantri’s arrest as a sham. Lacking evidence despite court cautions, it was painted as a bid to safeguard ministers and expose temple officials instead.
Chandrasekhar pointed fingers at the SIT for bias, protecting Devaswom Minister amid whispers of deeper involvement. He argued the rushed arrest diverted eyes from the scandal’s core—missing gold from the sacred vaults.
Three demands rang loud: entrust the CBI with the probe, scrap the Supreme Court affidavit, and drop bogus FIRs against faithful pilgrims. BJP exposed alleged double-game by intermediaries serving rival parties, corrupting the process.
In parallel, Supreme Court justices probed gold’s status at Sabarimala during Pankaj Bhandari’s bail bid, fixing March 9 for further arguments. Thirteen arrests mark progress, but with bails trickling in, resolution feels distant.
This clash underscores BJP’s pushback against perceived anti-Hindu policies, rallying devotees around Sabarimala’s sanctity and justice.