Vellapally Natesan terms protests by Congress and BJP over Sabarimala gold ‘theft’ row mere politicking

Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan on Thursday (October 16, 2025) sought to dampen protests by the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala over the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple gold “theft” controversy.

Mr Natesan told reporters in Alappuzha that the anti-government protests (demanding the resignations of Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan and Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president P.S. Prasanth) exposed the Opposition’s “political vulnerabilities” in the crucial election year. “The Opposition has no real issue to put the government in the dock”, he claimed.

Mr Natesan said the Congress’ “faith protection” marches crisscrossing the State would find scarce traction with voters, who, he said, were more concerned about livelihood issues, employment, social welfare and development.

Mr Natesan said that electoral politics, and not “faith protection or Sabarimala development,” informed the Opposition’s anti-government crusade. “They (the Congress) want to keep the Sabarimala issue simmering till the local body elections because there is little else to talk to the people about”, he said.

Mr Natesan rejected the Opposition’s accusation that the government had organised the Global Ayyappa Sanghamam in September at Pampa with an eye on Hindu votes.

“The government did not inject politics into the meeting and it merely tried to forge a broad consensus among all stakeholders for Sabarimala’s development. It had attempted in vain to take the Opposition parties onboard”, he added.

Calls for single Devaswom Board

Mr Natesan said, ideally, there should be only one Devaswom Board, with an IAS officer as the chief executive officer, accountable to the High Court and the government.

“The government should constitute the apex Devaswom governing body on the lines of the Spices Board or the Coir Board, with political appointees as chairpersons or directors and not executives, to prevent corruption”, he added. 

On school appointments

Mr Natesan said the Supreme Court had allowed the Nair Service Society (NSS) to make appointments in its aided schools without simultaneously adhering to the 4% reservation for persons with disabilities in the private general education sector.

“The government erred in denying the relief obtained by the NSS to other community managements. When the Bishops rallied, the government relented submissively”, he said.

Criticises Transport Minister

Mr Natesan also criticised Transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar for behaving “imperiously” to KSRTC workers.

“The Minister’s impetuous and contemptuous behaviour to employees and government officials harks back to the oppressive and decadent feudal era relegated to history’s dustbin”, he said.