THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Alleging that the arrest of Thanthri Kandaru Rajeevaru in the Sabarimala gold theft case is a government move to divert people's attention from the backlash the Left faced in the local body polls, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar alleged that Congress and the CPM are key players in the issue.
"Huge efforts have been made by both the Left and Congress to safeguard their members and ministers. The gold theft has been committed by the Congress-CPM 'Kuruva' Gang," Rajeev said in a press conference here on Saturday.
"It is the responsibility of the Travancore Devaswom Board and the Devaswom minister to be accountable for the temple's gold and properties. When the thanthri gets arrested, why is the 'manthi not getting arrested?" Rajeev said.
He also informed that the Sabarimala Samrakshana Deepam would be lit on January 14, Makaravilakku Day, with the tagline 'Veetilum Nattilum Ayyappa Jyoti'.
"The programme is planned to be executed as a long-term protest," Rajeev added.
Mentioning that the moves of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) are suspicious, former BJP state chief K Surendran alleged that the team failed to arrest both Kadakampally Surendran and PS Prasanth despite ample evidence and Unnikrishnan Potti's statement.
"Beyond the rituals, the thanthri does not have any responsibility to look after the devaswom bhandaram, and it fully rests with the TDB," the senior leader commented.
Alleging that the remand report only states about the violation of customary practices against the thantri, Surendran also mentioned that the report does not mention Rajeevaru making any monetary benefit out of this.
Calling Kadakampally 'the founder of the conspiracy', Surendran also mentioned that the former TDB member Sankardas, who signed the minutes, is free while the thantri who haven't even seen the same.
Further taking the allegation to the next level, Surendran also said that Unnikrishnan Potti and the businessman consulted Congress leader Sonia Gandhi to identify a market to sell the same.
"Sonia Gandhi's sister has two firms selling antique idols in Italy. Neither Ramesh Chennithala nor VD Satheesan has explained about this," he said.
Meanwhile, the party leaders reiterated that the party is not speaking for anyone who had been involved in the case.