Police's attack on Shafi gives opposition a new weapon

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As more evidence emerges in the Ayyappa temple gold theft case, the incident in which MP Shafi Parambil was seriously injured in a police lathi charge has become the opposition’s latest weapon against the government.

Shafi Parambil, who is also the KPCC Working President, was injured during a police attack, sparking widespread protests on Friday night that continued into Saturday across several places. The demonstrations led to clashes with the police, and in Thrissur, protestors even tried to block the Chief Minister’s convoy.

At a time when the opposition was preparing to intensify protests over the Sabarimala issue, this new incident has given them fresh momentum. With local body elections scheduled for early December, the ruling front finds itself trapped in a political storm. Both the UDF and the BJP are preparing for major protests. Opposition Leader VD Satheesan declared that they would “avenge the blood of Shafi Parambil.” To counter this and secure a good result in the elections, the LDF government will have to work very hard.

Meanwhile, the government is struggling to defend itself against the findings of the Devaswom Vigilance and the harsh observations made by the High Court regarding the Sabarimala gold fraud. The decision to assign the gold plating work of the temple’s Yogadanda to the son of former Devaswom Board president and CPM leader Padmakumar has also stirred controversy. It has also raised suspicion that Unnikrishnan Potty, who was involved in stealing gold sheets in 2019, was once again invited by the current Devaswom Board in 2025 to handle new gold plating work.

Earlier, the state government had achieved a major political gain through the Global Ayyappa Summit, which received support not only from the SNDP Yogam but also from organisations like the NSS and KPMS. This success had strengthened the ruling LDF and even led its leaders to claim that a third consecutive term in power was assured.

However, the gold theft revelations have now struck the government like a bolt of lightning — turning what once looked like a political victory into a serious crisis.