"No offender will be allowed to escape...": Kerala CM on Sabarimala gold-plating row

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], October 8 (ANI): The Kerala Government will not allow anyone responsible for the Sabarimala gold plating controversy to escape, will not protect any wrongdoers and take action without favour, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Wednesday.
"In the Sabarimala gold plating controversy, the government announced an investigation right from the beginning. We will never protect any wrongdoers. The government's stance is to take action without favour, regardless of who is at fault. A special investigation team was appointed in this matter," CM Vijayan said.
The Kerala CM underlined that the government has been investigating the matter from the beginning, and following the High Court order, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has also been appointed for the case, under the supervision of the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP).
"Following the High Court's directions, a special investigation team was appointed under the supervision of the ADGP. No offender will be allowed to escape," he said.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Assembly witnessed protests by the Opposition on the controversy, and refused to cooperate in the Assembly proceedings until the state's Devaswom minister, VN Vasavan, resigned.
"For the past two days, the opposition has not cooperated with the Assembly proceedings. We will continue to withhold cooperation in legislative proceedings until the Devaswom Minister resigns", the Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly VD Satheeshan said.
Responding to the developments, Parliamentary Affairs Minister MB Rajesh remarked, "In the Sabarimala gold plating controversy, the opposition could have moved an adjournment motion. Instead, the opposition leader and party members have chosen this confrontational approach."
The Assembly Speaker also had called for an all-party meeting to discuss the future course of action for the assembly, but the opposition refused to participate, according to Chief Minister Vijayan.
"The Speaker had called a meeting of the party leaders this morning. All members of the ruling party attended the discussion. However, the opposition members did not participate. The Speaker's office contacted the opposition leader, and that was when it became clear that they would not be coming. It was thus understood that there was no possibility of any kind of consensus", the Chief Minister said.
Dismissing the Opposition's protests, CM Vijayan said, "The opposition is afraid of the Assembly. It is out of this fear that the opposition has refrained from raising any issue. There are many ways for the opposition to bring up their concerns in the Assembly, it could be through a submission or by calling attention."
Meanwhile, Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president, PS Prashanth, said that the Devaswom Vigilance will submit their report on the investigation on October 10. He further dismissed any claims of the TDB having links with Unnikrishnan Potti.
"The Devaswom Vigilance SP will submit the report on the 10th of this month. We have all the records with us. I have no interest in getting into any controversy. Some media outlets are trying to portray that the new board has links with Unnikrishnan Potti, but that is completely untrue. It is true that there was gold in the Dwarapalaka sculpture panel. If I have any role in it, I should also be punished -- that is my stand", he told reporters.
Sabarimala Ayyappa Seva Samajam (SASS) has called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the alleged gold theft at the Sabarimala temple.
In a letter to the Kerala Additional Chief Secretary (Home), SASS National Chairman SJR Kumar said that an investigation conducted by the Devaswom Vigilance or the Kerala State Police cannot be expected to reveal the full truth, as there exists a serious possibility of interference or manipulation by the very parties involved. (ANI)