Sabarimala gold theft: everyone involved will be brought before law, says Govindan

Thiruvananthapuram | CPI(M) Kerala state secretary M V Govindan on Friday said the LDF government will ensure that any person found guilty in the gold theft case at Sabarimala temple will be brought before the law.

Addressing a press meet here, he said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the High Court has started probing the case and has arrested the prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti.

“If other persons are found involved in the case, they will be brought to book by the SIT, which is holding the investigation under the supervision of the High Court,” Govindan said.

He said no asset belonging to the Lord Ayyappa will be lost. “Everything that is missing will be recovered by arresting all the accused during the probe.” Govindan said the LDF had always stood with the believers in all religions.

The CPI(M) leader defended the police action against Congress activists in Perambra in Kozhikode district following the face-off between LDF and UDF workers in the town on October 10 in which Vatakara MP Shafi Parambil was injured.

Police had on Thursday arrested five Congress workers, alleging that they had hurled explosives at the police during the melee, a charge denied by Congress.

Govindan said police will naturally use force if they are attacked with "bombs and explosives".

He also alleged that the Congress is trying to create chaos in society, using the incident to divert attention from the internal issues in the party.

On the hijab row at St Rita's Public School at Palluruthi in Ernakulam district, he charged that the Congress, Jamaat-e- Islami and SDPI are trying to create communal polarisation in the society by flaring up the issue.

The state Education Minister had positively intervened in the issue at the right time, which was jeopardized by the Congress, he claimed.

To a question on the verbal spat between senior CPI(M) leaders G Sudhakaran, A K Balan and state Minister Saji Cherian, he said the party will take along all senior leaders and their services will be utilised, though they have crossed the age barrier to hold organisational positions.