"Devaswom Minister should resign": Congress MLA PC Vishnunadh as UDF to escalate protest over Sabrimala gold theft case

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], January 23 (ANI): Congress MLA PC Vishnunadh said that the UDF will continue to protest in the Kerala Assembly over the Sabrimala gold theft issue on the second day and alleged that State Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan was involved in the conspiracy.
The Kerala Legislative Assembly began its proceedings on Wednesday.
"... The Devaswom Minister should resign, as he is also a part of this conspiracy and gold theft. Earlier, our demand was the removal of the Devaswom Minister and the Devaswom Board President, which has already been done. Now, our next demand is prevailing. Whatever is happening is within the government's knowledge. State Devaswom Minister (V N Vasavan) was involved in the conspiracy, and we do not want any further discussion. We are protesting in the Assembly...," Vishnunadh told ANI
His remarks came amid a protest by United Democratic Front (UDF) members in the Assembly, who disrupted proceedings by holding placards, shouting slogans, and even singing a parody song. Later, LDF MLAs also staged a walkout from the Assembly. The Opposition demanded the resignation of the state Devaswom Minister, VN Vasavan, over the Sabarimala gold theft case.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Kerala in-charge Prakash Javadekar has accused both the UDF and LDF of "looting" the Devaswom Board and stated that the public's faith has been "insulted". The senior BJP leader also referred to the recent Kerala High Court order in the Sabrimala gold theft case.
"Kerala High Court is absolutely right, and people of Kerala also feel the same. Both UDF and LDF have looted the Devaswom Board. All temples managed by the Kerala state government have been looted, and the faith of people insulted," Javadekar said in New Delhi on Thursday, reacting to the court's decision to deny bail to key accused in the case.
The Sabarimala gold theft case concerns allegations of the 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 had gifted 30.3 kilograms of gold and 1,900 kilograms of copper for gold plating and cladding work at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple. Subsequent inspections and court-monitored inquiries revealed discrepancies between the donated gold and the quantity allegedly used.