Sabarimala gold case: M.B. Rajesh’s Kerala Assembly remark reveals bid to implicate Tantri, says K.C. Venugopal

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal claimed that Minister MB Rajesh’s statement in the Kerala Assembly revealed the State Government’s intention to involve Tantri in the Sabarimala gold theft case and that this was due to hostility over his stand on the issue of women’s entry into the Sabarimala temple.

He was speaking to the media following a war of words between the Treasury and Opposition benches in Parliament during Monday’s Budget session over Tantri’s arrest. Mr. Venugopal was in Kochi to visit the woman, who was recuperating in a private hospital after surgery to remove the surgical instrument remaining inside her abdomen.

“Before the verdict, we never said that the arrest was wrong or that Tantri should not have been arrested. But after the verdict, we asked whether it was to settle old scores. Was it to retaliate against Tantri for his stance against women entering the Sabarimala temple? Even Tantri raised this question,” said Mr. Venugopal.

He pointed out that the same court had a different perspective while considering the bail applications of two former Devaswom Board chairmen.

He described the minister’s statement as “an effort to prevent loss of reputation.” “When Tantri was arrested, we said that it should not be to protect the Minister. If an arrest is made, it must be supported by reliable evidence. We have never objected to the arrest of someone. But here, it was the court itself that said ‘there is not even an iota of evidence’ in the bail decision,” he said.

“So why is the Minister trying to prove otherwise? Why does the Minister insist that the court is wrong when the court says there is no evidence against Tantri? What is the intention behind this? It is at this point that we suspect a conspiracy. We believe this reflects hostility towards Tantri. Otherwise, why would the Minister criticize the court decision?” Mr. Venugopal asked.