Kerala Assembly Erupts: Sabarimala Gold Plating Row Sparks Political Firestorm

The hallowed halls of the Kerala Legislative Assembly descended into pandemonium today, echoing with furious accusations and fiery retorts, as the Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) launched a scathing attack on the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government. The contentious issue at the heart of the storm? Allegations of rampant corruption and serious irregularities surrounding the gold plating work at the revered Sabarimala Sreekovil.

The Speaker was ultimately forced to adjourn the session amidst the uproar, painting a vivid picture of the intense political theatre unfolding.

Led by a defiant Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, the UDF camp demanded nothing less than a comprehensive judicial inquiry into the contentious project. Their accusations were grave: a shocking substitution of pure gold with mere copper for the plating, a blatant disregard for established procedures by allegedly awarding the contract without a proper tender, and the unsettling revelation that the chosen contractor had a dubious past tainted by criminal cases.

The Opposition further questioned the true cost of the project, which reportedly ballooned from an initial estimate of Rs 12 crore, and raised serious doubts about the actual quantity and quality of gold supposedly used.

Devaswom Minister K. Radhakrishnan swiftly rose to the government's defence, vehemently refuting the allegations as "baseless and utterly false." He clarified that the Sreekovil's work involved 'copper plating with a gold covering,' rather than solid gold, a detail he asserted was transparent.

The Minister emphasized that the decision for this work was made by an administrative committee, not solely by the Travancore Devaswom Board, and adamantly stated there was no financial loss incurred by the Board. He further explained that the contractor, Srinivasan from Tamil Nadu, executed the work as a 'vazhipadu' or offering from a devout individual, with the Devaswom Board merely overseeing the process.

As such, he argued, a tender process was entirely unnecessary for an act of devotion.

However, the UDF was far from satisfied. Dismissing the Minister's explanation as a thinly veiled attempt at a cover-up, Opposition leader V.D. Satheesan escalated the attack, directly implicating Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Satheesan accused the Chief Minister of actively shielding the corrupt elements within his administration, turning a blind eye to the alleged scam. The escalating war of words culminated in the entire UDF bloc staging a dramatic walkout, leaving no doubt about their profound discontent and the deep rift the Sabarimala controversy had created.

Later, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan himself addressed the press, reiterating the government's stance.

He asserted that the state government had no direct involvement in the gold plating work, as it was undertaken purely as a 'vazhipadu' by a devotee. The Chief Minister then turned the tables on the Opposition, questioning their motives and suggesting their outrage was politically opportunistic rather than genuinely concerned with temple affairs.

This ongoing saga has not only cast a shadow over the sanctity of temple administration but also ignited a fierce political battle, promising more fireworks in the days to come as both sides dig in for a prolonged confrontation.