In a significant political development in Kerala, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former state president K Surendran has launched a sharp attack on the Congress party. He has demanded a clear explanation for a meeting between Congress Parliamentary Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Unnikrishnan Potti, the key accused in the high-profile Sabarimala gold heist case.
Allegations of a Suspicious Meeting
Surendran's allegations gained traction after a photograph surfaced showing Sonia Gandhi with Potti, accompanied by Congress MPs Adoor Prakash and Anto Antony. Speaking on Friday, the BJP leader insisted that the Congress must publicly reveal the purpose of this meeting. He pressed the party to clarify who arranged the introduction between their national leader and an individual facing serious criminal charges related to temple theft.
"The Congress should reveal why Potti met Sonia and the party must also make it clear who introduced Potti to their national leader," asserted Surendran. He emphasized that this meeting assumes greater significance in light of a CBI report from another case, which reportedly mentions that some relatives of Sonia Gandhi own establishments in Italy that deal in artefacts and idols.
International Smuggling Angle and Probe Sabotage Claims
Surendran further escalated his allegations by suggesting an international dimension to the Sabarimala theft. He claimed that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had already identified Sonia Gandhi's relatives with Italian establishments during proceedings in a Delhi court related to a separate matter.
"Attempts were made to smuggle valuable items from major temples in Tamil Nadu. The suspicion that Anto Antony and Adoor Prakash met Sonia Gandhi to facilitate the international sale of these idols is growing," he alleged. The BJP leader also accused the state's Congress leadership, including former opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and current leader V D Satheesan, of suspiciously backing away from the allegations they initially raised about the gold theft.
Turning his focus to the ongoing investigation, Surendran alleged deliberate attempts to sabotage the probe. He pointed to the recent questioning of former Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran, which he claimed led to changes in the Special Investigation Team (SIT). "Two officers, who have allegiance to CPM, were included in the probe team," he stated, alleging that the state government is trying to shield senior officials and prevent the investigation from reaching former Travancore Devaswom Board member Shankar Das.
Mounting Pressure for a CBI Probe
Surendran concluded by asserting that the current situation only validates the BJP's long-standing demand for a CBI investigation into the entire affair. He alleged that the SIT probe appears designed to protect prominent individuals involved, and the alleged international links make a central agency investigation imperative.
The allegations have added a new layer of political intrigue to the Sabarimala gold heist case, potentially shifting the focus from a criminal investigation to a major political controversy with national implications. The Congress party is yet to issue a detailed response to these specific charges leveled by the BJP leader.
