‘Potti was given access by tantri, not mantri,’ says Kerala Minister amid Sabarimala theft probe

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar on Monday asserted that it was the former tantri (chief priest) who granted Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold loss case, access to the hill shrine — not any minister or Devaswom Board member.

The Minister made the remarks at the Martyrs Memorial in Palayam during a day-long LDF protest accusing the Central Government of imposing a financial blockade on Kerala.

Ganesh Kumar said that during the local body polls, the Congress had alleged that Potti’s entry to Sabarimala was facilitated by ministers and Devaswom officials. Rejecting this claim, he said, "Potti was given access by the tantri, not the mantri," referring to the recent arrest of former chief priest Kandararu Rajeevaru.

He added that the finding was based on the Special Investigation Team’s report, constituted by the Kerala High Court. The court, he noted, has been closely monitoring the progress of the inquiry rather than waiting for the usual sequence of FIR and chargesheet.

"When we say that thief Potti was brought to Sabarimala by the tantri, some people reject it. They want only those whom they are targeting to be named as accused," he said, maintaining that neither the state government nor the Chief Minister could interfere in the probe. "If there is any irregularity in Sabarimala, it will come before the court and the accused will be punished."

Ganesh Kumar said that during his travels ahead of the elections, it was evident that both the BJP and Congress were focused on Sabarimala as their main campaign narrative. As the probe advances, he said, the picture is becoming clearer regarding who removed the gold and the vajivahanam from the temple’s sacred flagpole.

He criticised the Opposition for misleading voters. "The UDF and the BJP should apologise to the people of Kerala for misleading them during the elections," he said.

The Minister added that while the LDF projected development achievements and highlighted the impact of the Centre’s policies during the local body elections, the Opposition attempted to appeal to religious sentiments. "In any democracy or even in a fascist system, one thing that can be unleashed easily is religious sentiment," he said.

Ganesh Kumar accused both the UDF and BJP of trying to divide communities for political gains, and alleged that the UDF was attempting to create instability in the state. He also criticised the BJP, which won the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, for failing to introduce significant development projects in the other civic bodies it previously governed.

He claimed that the state government is handling the bulk of spending on development projects, while the Central Government has withheld its share of funds.

Ganesh Kumar also urged the Congress to seek the resignation of Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, who was arrested in a rape case.

On the long-pending demand for an AIIMS in Kerala, the Minister said the LDF administration was willing to allocate adequate land but had still not received approval. "Now it looks like we will have to start a hospital with AIIMS-like facilities," he remarked.

PTI