New Delhi, February 27 The Kerala unit of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the youth wing of the BJP, staged a protest outside the residence of senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi here on Friday, demanding a CBI investigation into the alleged gold theft case linked to the Sabarimala temple in the southern state.
According to an official release by the party, the protest was led by BJP MP and former Union minister Anurag Thakur, who alleged that meetings between Gandhi and the prime accused in the case, Unnikrishnan Potti, raised “serious and troubling questions”.
Addressing party workers, Thakur alleged that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the alleged theft of gold from the temple had been ineffective, and called for the case to be handed over to the CBI.
“The Congress high command has direct links with those who stole the gold of Lord Ayyappa. Sonia Gandhi and her family must answer before crores of Ayyappa devotees,” the release quoted Thakur as saying.
He also alleged that Gandhi had met the accused multiple times and questioned the role of certain Congress leaders in facilitating those meetings.
“In the Sabarimala gold smuggling case, the main accused repeatedly met the Congress high command. Why is Congress silent? Why were such meetings necessary?” Thakur asked.
Referring to the 2018 verdict on women’s entry into the hill shrine in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district, Thakur alleged, “When the court delivered its verdict on the entry of women in the Sabarimala case, a decision that went against the temple’s traditions and customs, the BJP protested to protect those traditions and rituals. The BJP opposed the verdict, but the Congress celebrated it.”
He also alleged that intermediaries played a role in arranging the meetings between Gandhi and the accused, and demanded explanations from those involved.
“Sonia Gandhi met Unnikrishnan Potti several times. Those who played the role of intermediaries, Adoor Prakash and Anto Antony, must explain before the devotees,” Thakur said.
“There must be a CBI investigation to ensure a fair and transparent probe. The truth must come out before the devotees,” he added.
According to the statement, the BJP Yuva Morcha said the protest sought disclosure of any links between Congress leaders and the accused in the temple gold theft case.
Kerala Yuva Morcha president V Manuprasad, national executive member Rohan Sehgal and state general secretaries Vishnu Vanchimala and Gokul Gopinath were among those present at the protest, along with party workers.