Sabarimala Dwarapalaka Idol: BJP leader makes serious allegations against Kerala govt, Devaswom Board

Kerala BJP vice-president B Gopalakrishnan has on Friday launched a scathing attack on the LDF government in the state and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) on the controversy over gold-plated copper coverings of the ‘Dwarapalaka Idol’ at Sabarimala temple.

Speaking to media persons in Thrissur on Friday, Gopalakrishnan alleged that what is happening in Sabarimala now is a government-backed robbery and that a group including the Devaswom Minister and board members are behind it.

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Gopalakrishnan alleged that the Devaswom Minister is the Alibaba and the TDB members are thieves in this. Unnikrishnan Potty, who is at the center of the controversies, is the broker of this gang of thieves, he further alleged . He added that the Devaswom Board means the Devaswom Minister and President, and the other members and employees of the board work according to their interests.

He asked why Unnikrishnan Potty, who was accused in the same matter in 2019, was given the same job of gold plating of idols in 2025. It is questionable that the person who delayed the gold plating and reduced the weight of the gold plating was given another chance to do the same job.

Gopalakrishnan said Unnikrishnan Potty is a supporter of many and is a fraud broker for the Devaswom Board.

What is happening in Sabarimala is looting of Lord Ayyappa’s property, he said . He further alleged that former Devaswom Minister G. Sudhakaan was removed from his post because he did not cooperate with such frauds. He said that if yesterday the gold platings of the Dwarapalaka were lost, tomorrow this group will even smuggle out the Ayyappa idol.

Stating that money is important to the atheist rulers who have tried to destroy the relevance of Sabarimala, Gopalakrishnan said that the High Court is the only recourse to bring these thieves to justice. The devotees have faith in the court, he added.