Thiruvananthapuram/Thrissur, Jan 22 (PTI) The youth wings of Congress and BJP on Thursday protested in the state capital and Thrissur over the Sabarimala gold loss, prompting police to use barricades, water cannons, and tear gas to disperse demonstrators during the hour-long agitation.
In Thiruvananthapuram, Youth Congress activists marched to the legislative assembly, demanding action on the alleged misappropriation of gold from the Lord Ayyappa temple.
Activists also raised slogans against the state government, citing the Sabarimala gold loss case and recent controversial remarks by State Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian.
Cherian, on January 18, had said that while the RSS promoted majority communalism, minority communalism was also being encouraged by the Muslim League, a key ally of the Congress in Kerala.
Accusing the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, of making “divisive remarks”, Cherian had also said that the results of the Kasaragod municipality elections showed the Muslim League and the BJP securing more seats, while secular parties such as the Congress and the CPI(M) failed to perform well.
He had also referred to the Malappuram district panchayat elections, where the Muslim League has clear dominance.
“Read the names of those who won in the Malappuram district panchayat elections. Should our state’s situation move in that direction?” he had asked.
Similar protests unfolded in Thrissur, where the BJP’s Yuva Morcha activists marched to the office of the district collector over the same issue.
They attempted to remove or climb over barricades and faced water cannon fire before ending their demonstration.
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 temple.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the matter has so far arrested 12 individuals, including Potty and two former presidents of the Travancore Devaswom Board. PTI HMP SSK
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