Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar have targeted Congress after a photo showed Sonia Gandhi with the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case. Kumar questioned the meeting's intent and alleged Congress are the 'real culprits'.
Political Row Erupts Over Accused's Photo with Sonia Gandhi
After Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan dragged in Congress CPP Chairman Sonia Gandhi alleging a link to one of the accused Unnikrishnan Potti in the Sabrimala Gold theft case, CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar also joined issue on Friday. Sandosh Kumar questioned why the Congress High Command or even Congress leaders from Kerala have not explained the real intention of the meeting. He also emphasised that it cannot be a "small thing" for two culprits to meet a leader like Sonia Gandhi. While welcoming the SIT investigation, he alleged that the Congress and its leaders must be the "real culprits" in the Sabarimala gold theft case.
Speaking with ANI, he said, "The Congress high command or Congress leaders from Kerala have not explained so far what the real intention of the meeting was. With the help of a local MP, two culprits met Sonia Gandhi. That's not a small thing. What is the connection between these people? Why is Sonia Gandhi in the picture?. We all welcome the SIT investigation and sincerely hope the truth will come to light. Once again, it's proved that Congress and its leaders are real culprits..."
CM Vijayan Questions Adoor Prakash's Role
Earlier on Friday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan levelled serious allegations against UDF convener and Congress MP Adoor Prakash after a photograph emerged showing the latter with Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and the prime accused in the Sabarimala theft case, Unnikrishnan Potti. Vijayan questioned how Potti reached Sonia Gandhi, suggesting that the accused has close ties with Adoor Prakash.
"At what stage does the name of Adoor Prakash come into this issue? His name surfaced when a photograph emerged. I mentioned this in the previous press conference. The photograph showed Sonia Gandhi along with two others from Pathanamthitta and Adoor Prakash, who was the MP from Pathanamthitta at the time," Vijayan said. Raising a series of questions, the Chief Minister said, "How did these two individuals manage to reach, at the same time, someone like Sonia Gandhi -- a political leader with the highest level of security in India? The person (Adoor Prakash) who made allegations against the Chief Minister's Office stated that he had no role and went there because he was invited. Is he required to go whenever Potti calls? Why should he go to Potti's call? How did all these people come together?"
Congress MP Hits Back at CM's Office
This development came after Congress MP Adoor Prakash's claim that the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) and Vijayan's Political Secretary, P. Sasi, were behind media reports alleging that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) had summoned Prakash for questioning in the Sabarimala gold theft case. Responding to the allegation, Vijayan said such accusations were being made habitually and were intended to divert attention from the core issues under investigation.
Background of the Sabarimala Gold Controversy and Investigation Updates
The Sabarimala gold controversy centres on allegations of irregularities in the gold plating at the Sabarimala temple. This situation arose from a 1998 donation of 30.3 kilograms of gold and 1,900 kilograms of copper by industrialist Vijay Mallya, intended for the cladding of the sanctum sanctorum and the wooden carvings of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Kerala.
Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused, was reportedly taken into custody by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on October 17. The SIT, which is investigating the matter, submitted its second report to the Kerala High Court, revealing serious irregularities in the minutes of the Travancore Devaswom Board.
On Monday, the Special Investigation Team probing the Sabarimala gold theft case made another arrest, taking former Travancore Devaswom Board member Vijayakumar into custody from Thiruvananthapuram.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)