CPM’s M V Govindan terms Sabarimala tanthri a big thief, says probe not over yet

Kozhikode: Even as Congress and BJP questioned the govt's motives in arresting Sabarimala tanthri Kandararu Rajeevaru, CPM intensified its attack, with CPM state secretary M V Govindan alleging that the tanthri figures in the list of ‘big thieves'. Responding to media questions on the stand taken by the tanthri that he was targeted for opposing women entry at the hill shrine following the apex court verdict, Govindan said that the probe was still underway and charges against the tanthri could become clear only after its completion.Kollam vigilance court, while granting bail to the tanthri in Sabarimala gold heist case, said that SIT had failed to produce substantial evidence to support the allegations levelled against Rajeevaru.Govindan maintained that CPM's consistent stand has been that not even a speck of gold should be taken from Sabarimala and whoever is responsible must be brought to book and no one must be protected. He accused Congress and BJP of taking a shameful stand by attempting to shield those involved.Govindan questioned why the enforcement directorate did not go to the tanthri's premises and said that politics was involved in it. Coming down heavily on the Congress, he said that the party's leadership has still not provided a proper explanation on why the prime accused in the gold heist case (Unnikrishnan Potti) and the person who brought the gold visited the house of party leader Sonia Gandhi along with Congress leaders. He asked why the precious vaji vahanam was handed over to the tanthri.Meanwhile, BJP leader P S Sreedharan Pillai said calling Kandararu Rajeevaru a ‘big thief' was a challenge to the rule of law. In the court order granting bail to the tanthri, it was clearly stated that there was not even a shred of evidence against him. Yet, CPM leaders called Rajeevaru a ‘big thief', he said.Pillai alleged that political vendetta motivated the actions for closing the hill shrine based on the legal advice he gave during the 2018 women entry issue at Sabarimala. He further claimed that keeping the tanthri in jail for 41 days was part of a conspiracy. According to him, CPM has always tried to undermine faith.In his new book ‘Sabarimala Samaravum Suvarna Avasara Vidhiyum', Pillai wrote that he had given legal advice to the tanthri to close the shrine when it appeared that women might arrive at Sabarimala following the Supreme Court order.