Thiruvananthapuram: Practically seven years after the landmark Supreme Court docket verdict permitting entry of girls of all ages into the Sabarimala temple, the shrine has as soon as once more develop into a flashpoint in Kerala because the state inches towards one other essential election season.

Weeks after the Left Democratic Entrance (LDF) authorities hosted the Sabarimala conclave—pitching the temple as a world pilgrimage centre and an inclusive house—it’s now on the centre of one other controversy, this time over alleged discrepancies within the weight of the Dwarapalaka (guardian) idols and pedestals on the temple.

The most recent controversy revolves round an alleged shortfall of gold on the temple, flagged by the Kerala Excessive Court docket. The problem dates again to 2019, when the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), with sponsorship from Bengaluru businessman Unnikrishnan Potti, undertook gold plating of the guardian idols and pedestals.

Nevertheless, vigilance officers later discovered a shortfall of practically 5 kilograms when the gadgets have been returned, following which the excessive courtroom took suo motu cognisance in September 2025. On Monday, the courtroom ordered a Particular Investigation Crew (SIT) to probe the matter.

The controversy, rising simply weeks after the federal government and the TDB organised a world devotee conclave for Sabarimala’s redevelopment, shortly snowballed right into a political storm, with the opposition Congress and BJP focusing on the ruling LDF and TDB.

Since Monday, the UDF has been constantly elevating the matter within the ongoing meeting session, demanding the resignation of Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan, and removing of the TDB president, armed with banners studying ‘temple thieves’.

Demanding a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation, Chief of Opposition V.D. Satheesan stated that Vijay Mallya’s group had donated 30 kg of gold, and that the discrepancy was present in just one merchandise, which had taken 40 days to return after plating.

“It occurred in 2019, and the federal government and the Devaswom Board knew this. We solely realized about it after the excessive courtroom’s intervention. Meaning they knew in regards to the lacking gold. If the sponsor was the one perpetrator, why didn’t they provoke legal proceedings in opposition to him?” Satheesan stated Monday.

On Sunday, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sunny Joseph stated the get together would mobilise devotees in opposition to the alleged discrepancy, with protests to be attended by nationwide leaders.

Political analyst and former journalist Ok.P. Sethunath informed ThePrint that UDF has acquired a windfall and an sudden alternative to achieve the help that the LDF secured from main Hindu outfits like NSS and SNDP after its conclave. “The UDF thinks they’ll stir the identical fury as through the Sabarimala verdict. But it surely’s unclear how lengthy they’ll maintain this,” he stated.

Reacting to the allegations, Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan stated the 2019 incident was being politicised to tarnish the conclave’s success.

“The actual challenge occurred in 2019. The gadgets have been despatched with Unnikrishnan Potti, who himself raised doubts in regards to the lacking gold three days earlier than the conclave. The excessive courtroom took cognisance, and subsequent probes discovered it at his relative’s place,” he stated, welcoming the SIT probe.

Vasavan added that the conclave had been profitable and that the Opposition, regardless of being invited, had chosen to not attend.

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The scandal

The lacking gold was a part of the 30 kg donated by Vijay Mallya in 1998, used to plate varied temple buildings.

In response to the Kerala Excessive Court docket’s commentary, Potti had obtained permission in July 2019 to sponsor the recent gold plating of the Dwarapalaka idols, with removing carried out within the presence of Devaswom officers. Nevertheless, the courtroom famous the absence of vigilance officers, as mandated underneath the Kerala Devaswom Guidelines.

The entrusted gadgets, weighing 42.8 kg, reached Chennai’s Sensible Creations after 39 days. Upon return, the mixed weight was recorded at 38.258 kg, in accordance with a mahassar (stock file), a discrepancy not famous by the Devaswom Board.

“It’s elementary that when such treasured gold-cladded articles are eliminated for plating and returned, their weight have to be documented. Failure to take action may very well be intentional to hide discrepancies. This factors to critical administrative lapses,” the courtroom noticed.

In the meantime, Potti continued to disclaim any wrongdoing, and the gadgets he acquired in 2019 have been copper panels, whereas a probe by the vigilance workplace found gold-plated pedestals at his relative’s home final week.

Political battle

The present developments have as soon as once more put the Sabarimala temple on the forefront of Kerala’s political panorama. Following the Supreme Court docket verdict in 2018, the ruling LDF, which had initially supported the ruling, had confronted stiff protests from sections of devotees and organisations, together with the NSS and Congress. The episode had led to the LDF’s worst setback within the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, shedding 19 of the 20 seats it had contested.

Years after that setback, the federal government held the Sabarimala World Devotee Conclave on 21 September this 12 months, searching for to redevelop the temple into a world pilgrimage centre.

The one-day occasion mentioned the Rs 1,300-crore redevelopment plan aimed toward bettering temple infrastructure and selling an inclusive picture. The conclave was endorsed by Hindu caste organisations, together with the NSS and SNDP.

Nevertheless, the state’s opposition UDF and BJP skipped the occasion, calling it an “eyewash” forward of the polls.

“The LDF conducting a conclave is a transparent signal that the get together needs to regain the votes it misplaced within the Lok Sabha elections. There’s a feeling within the get together {that a} part of Hindu votes, particularly Ezhava votes, was misplaced. They need to carry it again or at the least stop additional erosion. One purpose is that their concentrate on minority points might have alienated some voters. So this occasion was meant to stability that, to not embrace Hindutva,” stated Sethunath.

He added that the present controversy has once more positioned Lord Ayyappa on the centre of Kerala’s political narrative.

CPI(M) state secretariat member and MLA V. Pleasure informed ThePrint the conclave was solely centered on the temple’s growth.

“The get together took a stand then, as per the Supreme Court docket’s verdict, as a ruling get together ought to. However that was not the main target of the conclave,” he stated.

(Edited by Sugita Katyal)

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