Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 7 (NationPress) The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has declared plans for a series of statewide protest marches commencing on October 14, aimed at demanding the resignation of State Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan. This comes in light of allegations that the Minister is providing protection to those implicated in the Sabarimala gold theft case.

The first protest will kick off with a meeting in Pathanamthitta on October 9, featuring an address by Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal.

On the evening of October 9, Congress ward committees throughout the state will conduct candlelight vigils to raise awareness about the issue.

Subsequent processions from four districts will culminate on October 18 at Pandalam.

Key figures leading these marches will include former KPCC President K. Muraleedharan from Kasaragod, Congress Working Committee member Kodikunnil Suresh, UDF Convener and Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Adoor Prakash, and Benny Behanan, Congress MP from Moovattupuzha.

State Congress President Sunny Joseph has accused the current Devaswom Minister of being complicit in the gold theft by failing to initiate an investigation and reappointing individuals linked to the incident.

Joseph stressed that this issue transcends mere theft of gold, touching on matters of temple faith, rituals, and public trust, asserting that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan shares responsibility in this matter.

He pointed out that the Kerala High Court has identified the risk of misappropriated gold being moved, a situation that Minister Vasavan cannot defend.

Joseph has called for a CBI investigation under the supervision of the High Court, citing concerns about potential political interference in the state police investigation and emphasizing the need for a thorough inquiry that spans multiple states.

He argued that only a central investigative agency operating under judicial oversight can guarantee impartiality and accountability.

The Congress leader also noted that gold sheets worth crores of rupees and several kilograms in weight have gone missing from Sabarimala, yet neither the state government nor the Devaswom Board has taken action to retrieve the assets or prosecute the guilty parties.

He credited the High Court's involvement for revealing the complicity of both the Devaswom Board and the Kerala government in this affair.

With the current Assembly session concluding on Thursday, the Congress has opted to shift protests outside the state Assembly, particularly as local body elections are upcoming, followed by Assembly elections next year.