What a rotten stink this is! The holy shrine of Sabarimala, where millions trek barefoot every year seeking Lord Ayyappa’s blessings, has been reduced to a den of thieves. Gold plates from the sacred Dwarapalaka idols vanishing into thin air? This isn’t some petty pickpocketing; it’s a full-blown scandal that’s exposed the rot in Kerala’s Travancore Devaswom Board.
And with the Left government fumbling like amateurs, it’s high time the Centre orders a proper probe – CBI or nothing less – to unearth the truth before more temple treasures go poof.Let’s call a spade a spade. The whole mess kicked off when the Kerala High Court flagged irregularities in the gold-plating work back in 2019. Unnikrishnan Potty, that dodgy priest-cum-contractor, was handed the job without so much as a whisper of tender. Gold meant for the idols – precious offerings from devotees – was allegedly siphoned off under the guise of ‘repairs’. Reports say the plates were carted off to Tamil Nadu for 39 days, with secret detours that scream foul play. Now, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has booked former Devaswom Board members, including Left-front bigwigs, for this gold theft.
But honestly, who’s kidding whom? This is the same board that’s been accused of mismanaging funds, botching pilgrim facilities, and now, apparently, playing fast and loose with sacred assets.The Pinarayi Vijayan government is in the dock, and rightly so. Their Devaswom Minister is ducking questions, while the Assembly erupted in chaos last week with Opposition demanding resignations. Remember, this is the same lot that bungled the women’s entry row in 2018, turning a religious site into a political battlefield. Now, with gold worth crores missing, they’re hiding behind ‘internal inquiries’.
Poppycock! State probes are a joke – we’ve seen them whitewash everything from solar scams to bar bribery. The CPI(M) cadres are already circling the wagons, blaming ‘saffron forces’ for stirring the pot. But devotees aren’t fools; they know when their faith is being looted.Why a central probe? Because this isn’t just Kerala’s headache. Sabarimala draws pilgrims from across India – Tamils, Telugus, Kannadigas, you name it. The temple’s treasures are national heritage, not some local kitty for politicos to dip into.
A CBI inquiry would cut through the red tape, grill the high and mighty without fear, and maybe even recover the swiped gold. Look at how the Centre stepped in for the Padmanabhaswamy temple vault probe; that set a precedent. If Vijayan’s boys have nothing to hide, why fear the feds? But mark my words, without Delhi’s intervention, this will drag on like a bad soap opera, with culprits walking free and the shrine’s sanctity in tatters.Enough of this tamasha. Devotees deserve accountability, not excuses. The High Court has already ordered a report, but that’s not enough.
Prime Minister Modi, who’s no stranger to temple revamps, should push for a CBI takeover. Let the guilty sweat – be it priests, board members, or ministers. Sabarimala isn’t a cash cow; it’s a symbol of devotion. If we let this slide, what’s next? Looting the Tirupati laddus? Wake up, India – demand a central probe now, or watch our heritage get pawned off piece by piece.