Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 13 : BJP leaders on Monday called on Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar to brief him on the Sabarimala gold plating scam, demanding a probe by an external agency.

Speaking to the media outside Raj Bhavan, Kerala unit BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said: 'Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is also the Home Minister, and the SIT investigating the matter consists of Kerala Police officials. We have briefed the Governor on the entire issue and stressed the need for an independent investigation.'

Chandrasekhar was accompanied by former BJP president Kummanam Rajasekharan, Union Minister V. Muraleedharan, and other senior state leaders.

Earlier, the BJP youth wing staged a two-hour protest outside the state secretariat demanding the resignation of State Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan and the Devaswom Board.

The protest drew large crowds, including young women, and clashes with police saw the use of water cannons and left many activists injured.

The call for an independent probe comes after the Devaswom Vigilance submitted a report to the Kerala High Court, validating opposition allegations regarding the Sabarimala gold heist and the sale of the Dwarapalaka plates to a billionaire.

According to the report, in 2019, gold plates from Sabarimala were sent to Chennai in violation of the Devaswom manual.

The items sent were fake molds, while the original Dwarapalaka plates was sold with the knowledge and support of both the Devaswom Board and political leadership.

The report further notes that in 2025, the Devaswom Board bypassed instructions from the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner and handed over keys to the individual who eventually sold the plates.

Former Devaswom President A. Padmakumar, a CPI-M legislator at the time, and the political leadership are said to have been complicit.

Sabarimala Temple is one of the biggest revenue earners for the Devasom Board and this controversy has taken place at a time when the two month long festival season opens in the third week of November.

/IANS