Sabarimala gold loss case: Tantri's statement recorded by SIT
Pathanamthitta (Kerala) (PTI): The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the gold loss from the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple has recorded the statement of Tantri Mahesh Mohanararu, officials said on Sunday.
Police sources said Mohanararu' statement was recorded a few weeks ago as part of the probe into the permission allegedly granted to prime accused Unnikrishnan Potty to take gold-clad plates of the Dwarapalaka idols and the door frames of the Sreekovil in 2019.
Mohanararu is currently serving as the Tantri (chief priest) at Sabarimala. He was employed in the temple in 2019.
According to SIT sources, the deity's properties can be removed from the temple premises only after obtaining Deva Anujna (divine permission).
Similarly, the Travancore Devaswom Board has to seek the Tantri's permission whenever any repair works are to be carried out at the hill shrine.
The Tantri was questioned about these procedures regarding the removal of the gold-clad plates and their transportation outside the temple by Potty, an official said.
The SIT also examined Potty's frequent visits to the temple posing as a sponsor and his alleged links with the Tantri.
Additionally, the team sought clarification on Mohanararu's visit to Ballari-based gold trader Govardhan, a close associate of Potty, the source said.
Earlier, the SIT had questioned other Tantris--Kandararu Mohanararu and Kandararu Rajeevararu.
So far, six people, including two former TDB presidents, have been arrested in two cases related to the loss of gold from the Dwarapalaka plates and the Sreekovil door frames.
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Congress using hijab issue to pacify minority anger, alleges Karnataka LoP R Ashoka
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka has accused the Congress government of using the hijab issue to placate what he described as discontent among minority voters after the Davanagere by-election.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Ashoka alleged that the state government, instead of addressing issues such as price rise, corruption, farmers’ distress and law and order, was attempting to retain its minority vote base by reviving the hijab issue.
Referring to the 2022 dress code introduced by the BJP government, which prohibited hijab in schools and colleges, Ashoka said the Karnataka High Court had upheld the policy and emphasised the importance of discipline in educational institutions.
He questioned the Congress government’s move to revisit the issue and asked whether setting aside the court-backed policy to benefit one community could be described as secularism.
Ashoka further alleged that while the government was willing to permit hijab, it continued to prohibit saffron shawls.
He accused the government of dividing students on religious lines rather than treating schools and colleges as spaces of equality.
Drawing a comparison with Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal, Ashoka claimed that excessive appeasement politics had harmed the state and warned that the Congress in Karnataka could face a similar political response.
He said voters in Karnataka would teach the Congress a lesson for what he termed “vote-bank politics” and for compromising constitutional and judicial principles.
