Thiruvananthapuram, February 14 The opposition Congress in Kerala intensified its attack on the state government over the audit report of the recently held Global Ayyappa Sangamam, alleging that it was a continuation of the "gold theft" that occurred at Sabarimala.
The sangamam was organized at Pamba last year as part of the platinum jubilee celebrations of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the Sabarimala Sree Ayyappa Temple.
Prominent Congress leaders, including K C Venugopal, Ramesh Chennithala, and V D Satheesan, strongly criticized the CPI(M)-led government, alleging that it could not absolve itself of responsibility.
However, state Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan maintained that there were no irregularities in the conduct of the sangamam and that the advance amount paid by the TDB for the event had been properly returned.
Addressing a press conference in Malappuram, Leader of Opposition Satheesan said that despite the High Court repeatedly directing that separate accounts be maintained, crores of rupees were siphoned off.
The "irregularities" in the Global Ayyappa Sangamam were a continuation of the "gold theft" that occurred at Sabarimala, he alleged.
With the alleged fraud coming to light, the Devaswom minister was now trying to distance himself from the issue, he said.
Those who attempted to gain political advantage from the Ayyappa Sangamam by installing flex boards carrying the chief minister's photograph and conducting PR work were nowhere to be seen, he alleged.
"The event was organized claiming that it was meant to bring change in Sabarimala, develop infrastructure, transform it into a major pilgrimage centre and benefit devotees, but stories of loot are now emerging," Satheesan charged.
The government also has a role in the alleged fraud, as the Devaswom board conducted the event with its support, he said, adding that the accounts were contradictory.
The figures provided by the Devaswom minister in the Assembly justified the alleged fraud, while those submitted before the High Court contradicted them, Satheesan further said.
"Should such fraud be committed in the name of Lord Ayyappa?" he asked the chief minister, alleging that the latter tried to take full credit for the event.
"If everyone, including the Devaswom minister, washes their hands of the issue, who will take responsibility for the alleged looting of crores?" he asked.
He said accounts must be provided for the crores allegedly looted in the name of the Ayyappa Sangamam and that those responsible must be brought to justice.
Alleging that false accounts were submitted to "mislead the court" and that sponsorship collections were made without proper accounting, he claimed that breakfast was shown as being provided to 4,000 people, lunch to 5,000 and dinner to 3,000, though many did not even attend the programme.
"If the government had no responsibility, why were flex boards with the chief minister’s image installed and PR work carried out?" he asked, alleging that the event was an attempt to win over Ayyappa devotees.
He further alleged that crores were collected in the name of the sangamam but not spent, and that the CPI(M) also had a role in the alleged fraud.
Claiming that the idea of the Global Ayyappa Sangamam originated with the CM, he said he expected the High Court to order an inquiry into the alleged irregularities.
Vasavan reiterated that the advance amount paid by the TDB had been properly returned and that he had not made any incorrect statement in the Assembly regarding the figures.
"A total of Rs 3 crore, which was given as an advance for the event, was fully recouped by the Devaswom board on October 17. It is a matter of record, and anyone can verify it," he told reporters in Kottayam.
The minister also said that leaders, including Ramesh Chennithala and K C Venugopal, would have to apologise to the public over the statements they had been making in connection with the matter.
The remarks came two days after the Kerala High Court said there were "several issues and serious inconsistencies" in the audit report of the sangamam.
The court sought "explanations and clarifications" from the TDB and the Kerala State Audit Department regarding the "inconsistencies".