Kochi, Feb 7 (PTI) Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal on Saturday sharply criticised Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, saying he “pities” him for allegedly losing his senses over the Sabarimala gold loss issue and trying to blame others to protect his party members.
He said the CM’s recent claim that the prime accused, Unnikrishnan Potty, gained access to the shrine during Venugopal’s tenure as Devaswom Minister in 2004 was “politically motivated”.
Venugopal, also the MP from Alappuzha, told reporters that the CM “lacks the courage to take action against his party members” who are in jail in connection with the alleged misappropriation of gold from Sabarimala.
“He (Vijayan) is now trying various methods to shift the blame for the gold loss at Sabarimala onto others. I can only pity him. In the current circumstances, one can say that he has lost all sense, as he claims that Potty gained access to Sabarimala because I was the Devaswom Minister 22 years ago,” he said.
Venugopal contended that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the gold loss cases is under the CM’s control and therefore should investigate who helped Potty gain access to the temple.
“If he (Vijayan) thinks he can wash away the dirt on him by throwing it at others, we can do nothing but pity him,” he said, adding that the CM was trying to protect the actual culprits in the gold loss cases.
On UDF convener Adoor Prakash being questioned by the SIT, he said, “Let them do that.” “Let the law take its course. We have been saying that from the beginning. The people of Kerala know who stole the gold from Sabarimala and who is protecting the culprits,” Venugopal added.
“They [the CPI(M)] are playing these games to hide their embarrassment after the matter came to light,” he said, alleging that the accusations against Congress leaders were “politically motivated” in view of the upcoming elections.
Venugopal also said that he was not afraid of any investigation against him for any period, including his tenure as a minister in the Kerala government.
He claimed that Potty got a job at Sabarimala in 2007 and asked who the Devaswom minister was at that time.
“After the issue affected them [the CPI(M)], they are now unsuccessfully trying to implicate others as well,” he contended.
The Sabarimala gold loss cases pertain to the alleged misappropriation of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) door frames at the Lord Ayyappa temple following the replating of the claddings on the artefacts. PTI HMP SSK
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