Vasavan stands firm on ₹3 crore claim, dares Opposition to prove him wrong

Holding that Congress leaders would ultimately have to apologise to the public for raising what he described as false allegations regarding the Global Ayyappa Sangamam, Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan on Saturday reiterated that his statement in the Assembly about the repayment of ₹3 crore was based on official records.

Speaking to the media, Mr. Vasavan said the discomfort among Congress leaders, including K.C. Venugopal, stemmed from the exclusion of Unnikrishnan Potti from the Global Ayyappa Sangamam. He pointed out that Mr. Potti had originally come to Sabarimala during Mr. Venugopal’s tenure as Devaswom Minister.

“The unease of Congress leaders is understandable. As the investigation reaches where it is meant to, that discomfort will only grow. Let the probe proceed properly. Congress leaders who are making misleading statements about what I said in the Assembly will soon have to apologise,” he said.

Reiterating that his Assembly statement was made strictly on the basis of documentary evidence, Mr. Vasavan said he would be willing to accept the consequences if his claims were proven incorrect. The government does not interfere in any purchase or sale transactions of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB). Since the TDB cannot directly make statements in the Assembly, the matters are conveyed through the Minister, he explained.

He further alleged that just when the Ayyappa meet was being conducted successfully, Mr. Potti’s revelation about a missing gold plate surfaced at the last moment. The very next day, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan submitted a notice for an adjournment motion in the Assembly. As the matter was under judicial consideration, the Speaker denied permission. Subsequently, during a Vigilance probe, the missing gold plate was recovered from the residence of Mr. Potti’s sister, he said.

Mr. Vasavan also claimed that a conspiracy to sabotage the Ayyappa meet by using Mr. Potti had ultimately backfired on those behind it. “Our satisfaction in organising the Global Ayyappa Sangamam lies in the fact that it helped expose the gold theft. Otherwise, figures like Govardhan and Potti might still have been holding sway in Sabarimala,” he said.