Idukki/Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 23 (PTI) Opposition Congress and BJP continued to target the Left government in Kerala over Sabarimala tantri’s arrest in the gold loss case and sought clarification on what grounds the chief priest had been put behind bars for 40 days.
Speaking to reporters at Adimali here, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan said that the opposition continued its boycott of the Assembly seeking Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan’s resignation and an end to alleged pressure from the Chief Minister’s Office on the SIT probing the Sabarimala gold loss case.
He sought to know why the Sabarimala tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru was arrested allegedly without evidence.
The Congress leader said the court had granted bail to the tantri observing that there was not even an “iota of evidence” against him, and questioned why he was arrested and kept in jail for 40 days.
“The SIT has a responsibility to explain on what grounds and on what evidence the tantri was arrested. He does not need any special protection, but the court order suggests that he was not even given the protection available to an ordinary citizen,” Satheesan said.
He alleged that when the tantri was arrested, the CPI(M) leaders and social media handles had projected it as a “credit” of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, but were now silent.
According to him, the investigation focus shifted to the tantri at a time when allegations had surfaced against a former minister, current minister and three leaders had landed in jail, putting the CPI(M) in the dock.
“The same suspicion we raised then remains even now,” he said, adding that the opposition had, on January 11– a day after the arrest — demanded that the SIT specify what offence the tantri had committed and what role he had in the alleged crime.
Satheesan said that even when a former or sitting minister is arrested, the investigating agency has a duty to inform the public about the reasons, and the same standard should apply in this case.
He also alleged that statements made by ministers in the Assembly with regard to the tantri amounted to criticism of the court verdict granting him bail.
He said the opposition boycotted the Assembly earlier in the day as part of its continuing protest, alleging that ministers had made “strange replies” in the House and accusing the opposition of trying to protect the tantri.
Continuing its strong protest against the tantri’s arrest, the BJP urged CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan and the Marxist party to withdraw their remarks describing the Sabarimala tantri as a “big thief” and issue a public apology.
BJP state chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar said since the beginning, his party has been saying that the CPI(M)-led government would misuse its police and the official machinary to cover up the crime.
There was an active attempt between the CPI(M) and the Congress to cover up the gold loss case and distract people, he alleged in Thiruvananthapuram.
He also alleged that tantri Rajeevaru was arrested to protect the present and former Devaswom ministers, who are close to CM Pinarayi Vijayan.
In a statement, senior BJP leader P K Krishnadas said the court had granted bail to the tantri observing that there was no evidence against him, and alleged that branding him a criminal despite the court’s finding was unacceptable.
He reiterated the BJP’s demand for a CBI probe into the Sabarimala gold loss case, alleging that “the real culprits are CPI(M) leaders and ministers” and allegations are being raised against the tantri to shield those responsible.
Krishnadas further alleged that the arrest of the tantri was part of the CPI(M)’s political agenda and that the SIT probe had now come to a standstill.
He also accused the chief minister of instructing the investigators that no ministers be arrested in the case. PTI LGK KH
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