THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Sabarimala Karma Samithi, a joint forum of Hindu organisations, will take up the Sabarimala gold theft controversy with Droupadi Murmu, when the President visits Kerala later this month.
The samithi hopes for a Presidential Reference under Article 143 to the Supreme Court to explore the possibility of forming a separate administrative system for Sabarimala temple, on the model of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple, which is governed by a committee chaired by the additional district and sessions judge in Thiruvananthapuram. It has representatives of the Union and state governments, thantri family and the erstwhile Travancore royal family as members.
“We have an appointment with the President when she visits Sabarimala on October 22,” said samithi general convenor S J R Kumar. Citing the missing gold row, he accused successive Travancore Devaswom Board members and staffers of mismanaging the hill shrine. “Since Sabarimala temple holds national importance, the President can refer it to the Supreme Court for formulating a better administrative system,” he told TNIE, adding that in 1993, the then President had made a reference in the Ayodhya temple case.
Article 143 empowers the President to seek the SC’s advisory opinion on any question or law that is of public importance.
After the Babri Masjid demolition, then President Shankar Dayal Sharma had in 1993 sought the SC’s opinion on whether any Hindu structure existed at the site before the mosque was built.
Samithi to seek CBI probe into missing Sabarimala gold
It is the SC’s discretion to respond to or decline the reference. In 1993, the court declined to comment on Dayal’s reference.
Meanwhile, the samithi will also seek a CBI probe into the missing gold, Kumar said. “We have already submitted a memorandum to the Union government for a probe by a central agency. We believe the corruption and theft at Sabarimala are linked to ruling politicians. The state police will not be able to uncover their connection and larger conspiracy,” he said. The samithi also plans to move the Kerala High Court raising the demand. It has already petitioned the state home department. “The department can accept or decline our demand. If it refuses or delays our petition, we will move the HC,” he said.