In a significant development regarding the Sabarimala gold theft case, Kerala's Devaswom and Ports Minister, V N Vasavan, has stated that the court has expressed complete satisfaction with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) handling the probe. The minister made these remarks during a press conference held to announce the recipient of the annual Harivarasanam Award.
Court's Stamp of Approval for SIT Probe
Minister Vasavan emphasized that the court's stance acts as a clear stamp of approval for the SIT's investigative work. He clarified that the court instructed the team to proceed with full confidence and without yielding to any external pressure. "The court said that it was satisfied and that the SIT should not yield to pressure. There was no pressure from the ministry. In fact, I suggested setting up an SIT," Vasavan stated.
He further asserted that the SIT possesses the authority to summon anyone for questioning and that the investigation should be allowed to follow its natural course without interference. The minister also delineated the government's limited role in the affairs of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the temple. "The government cannot interfere in the day-to-day affairs of the TDB. In this case, the govt did not know about the gold and all, as it deals only with infrastructure improvements and arrangements for the pilgrims," he explained.
Enhanced Arrangements for Makaravilakku Festival
Shifting focus to the upcoming Makaravilakku festival, Minister Vasavan detailed the extensive preparations to ensure safety and smooth pilgrimage. Key measures include:
- Deployment of additional police forces for crowd control and security.
- Finalization of steps to regulate the large influx of devotees.
- Police monitoring at viewing points to prevent people from climbing trees for a better view of the Makaravilakku.
- Arrangement of approximately 100 buses to facilitate pilgrim transport.
- A strict advisory against cooking at the Parnasala accommodation to prevent fire accidents, with the TDB committed to providing food.
While around 40,000 passes have been issued for the specific day, officials anticipate a significantly higher number of devotees, as many arrive days in advance and stay on.
Crackdown on Irregularities and Award Announcement
To combat past malpractices, the TDB has implemented a streamlined system for pass distribution and room bookings. TDB President K Jayakumar highlighted that rooms can now only be booked online with ID proof, a rule effective from the upcoming Saturday. "Passes cannot be transferred and no middlemen will be allowed to purchase passes for Makaravilakku or for room bookings," the minister reinforced. The pilgrimage continues to see massive turnout, with a record 1,13,500 devotees visiting Sabarimala on Tuesday.
Concluding the conference, Minister Vasavan announced that the prestigious Harivarasanam Award for this year will be conferred upon nadaswaram exponent Tiruvizha Jayasankar. The award has previously honored renowned artists including singers K J Yesudas, P Jayachandran, M G Sreekumar, Ilayaraja, and lyricist Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri.
