Former TDB chief claims he was sidelined to allow women’s entry into Sabarimala shrine

The Sabarimala women’s entry controversy has resurfaced in Kerala following explosive disclosures by A Padmakumar, the former president of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), who reportedly revealed that he and a senior police official were intentionally kept away from the temple’s Sannidhanam (sanctum sanctorum) to facilitate the entry of two women of menstruating age to the temple in January 2019.

These revelations, which Padmakumar shared with close associates, are expected to feature in his upcoming autobiography. It has already sparked a major political storm in Kerala. He reportedly claimed that a powerful ruling party leader and the administration orchestrated the move to ensure the entry occurred without his or senior police officers’ knowledge.

Advertisement

The former TDB chief reportedly disclosed to his close associates that both he and Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) S. Sreejith(then IG) was deliberately summoned to Thiruvananthapuram to keep him away from the Sannidhanam (sanctum sanctorum) on the day of the women’s entry to the hill shrine. He stated that he was instructed to cut his journey to the shrine halfway to meet a high-ranking leader in Thiruvananthapuram .Padmakumar claimed that ADGP Sreejith (then IG), who was known to be a devotee, was similarly ordered back to the police headquarters at the last minute to prevent any intervention.

Padmakumar revealed that upon arriving at the leader’s residence around 1.00 am, security refused him entry. The person who orchestrated the detour allegedly ignored his phone calls. Police informed him he could meet the leader during a morning walk at 5.30 am

Reports further state that at 5 am, right before leaving to meet the leader, Padmakumar saw breaking news on a television that Bindu Ammini and Kanakadurga had successfully entered the temple. Realising he was deceived, he later confronted the political leader, stating, “You shouldn’t have betrayed me like this,” and even prepared a resignation letter that he ultimately did not submit

Padmakumar reportedly asserted that the entire operation was masterminded by a “highly influential person” holding massive sway over both the ruling party and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government.

The disclosure emerged just as the CPM Pathanamthitta district committee is considering organisational disciplinary action against Padmakumar over Sabarimala gold heist case

The party leadership noted that Padmakumar was already removed from organizational responsibilities following his alleged involvement in the Sabarimala gold theft case. Reports indicate the CPM Pathanamthitta District Committee is meeting to consider his complete expulsion from the primary membership

CPM state Secretary M. V. Govindan stated that the party is under no obligation to respond to these claims, and that any clarification should come directly from Padmakumar himself. He . Govindan stated that the party bears no responsibility to answer for Padmakumar’s personal claims

Former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan firmly rejected the claims during a press conference, stating that no one deliberately sidelined Padmakumar and that the alleged events never took place.