Probe royals for pilferage, VS tells CM Oommen Chandy

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan on Saturday accused the state government of failing to probe the allegations of pilferage of gold and other valuables from Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple against royals. He slammed the government for its failure to probe royals in connection with the criminal cases related to siphoning off of wealth including gold and other articles from the temple.

“Government starts shivering the moment it hears the name of royal family”, he said while inaugurating the family meet of Padmanabhaswamy Temple Employees Union  here on Saturday. Referring to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s statement that there was no need to disbelieve the royals, he said; “I think the chief minister seems to have forgotten that the period of monarchy is over.’’

It may be recalled that in 2011 Opposition Leader had accused late Uthradom Tirunal Marthanda Varma of smuggling precious articles from the temple, claiming that the charges were based on the information passed on to him by one of the former temple priests who had lost his job after he found out these irregularities. The temple administration had rejected the allegations.