Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
Credit: PTI Photo
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Tuesday called the alleged irregularities at the Sabarimala temple "a grave act of sacrilege" that extends far beyond the theft of gold.
He also demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter.
In a post on X handle, Chandrasekhar said as an Ayyappa devotee, the developments have caused him deep pain and distress.
He claimed that fresh findings indicate that the looting at the Lord Ayyappa temple was not limited to the reported 4.5 kg of gold.
“Investigations now show that under the LDF-appointed Devaswom Board, four Panchaloha idols were taken out of Sabarimala and sold to international criminal networks,” he alleged.
According to the BJP leader, parts of the sacred "pathinettam padi" (the 18 steps), which were replaced during the UDF regime in 2015, were later tampered with and looted.
Calling the disclosures “deeply disturbing,” Chandrasekhar alleged a larger political conspiracy involving both the Congress-led UDF and the CPI(M)-led LDF.
“As I said earlier, arresting a few individuals is not enough. This is a larger political conspiracy—started under the Congress-UDF and perfected under the CPM-LDF,” he said.
Terming the alleged acts as a "sacrilege", Chandrasekhar said they represented a betrayal of Lord Ayyappa and millions of devotees across the world.
The leader asserted that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) would not be sufficient to uncover the truth and reiterated his demand for a CBI inquiry.
The BJP state chief also accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of "attempting to downplay" the issue by dubbing it a “slip-up,” and said the party would continue its fight to ensure justice for Ayyappa devotees.
Concluding his statement with the chant “Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa,” Chandrasekhar said the BJP would not relent until the truth behind the alleged acts was fully brought to light.
Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple has been at the centre of a huge political controversy over the loss of gold for some time.
A Special Investigation Team is probing the loss of gold and related complaints, and several persons, including two presidents of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), have been arrested in this regard.
Recently, the SIT told a Vigilance Court that Pankaj Bhandari of Smart Creations and Ballari-based jeweller Govardhan Roddam played a central role in a conspiracy to steal gold from artefacts of the Sabarimala temple.
The SIT had arrested both Bhandari and Roddam last week.