"Judas-like betrayal": Rajnath Singh slams Kerala government over Sabarimala gold, announces CBI probe during campaign

PARAVUR: In a significant escalation of the election campaign in Kerala, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has announced that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will probe the alleged gold loot at the Sabarimala temple. Speaking at an NDA rally in Paravur, Ernakulam, Singh delivered a scathing critique of the state government, comparing the alleged corruption to Judas’s betrayal of Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. He asserted that while the government has "stolen gold under the cover of Ayyappa," only the BJP can save Kerala from the influence of organizations like the SDPI and Jamaat-e-Islami, accusing both the LDF and UDF of being in cahoots with these groups.

This announcement follows recent criticism from opposition parties regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the matter during his recent visit. By confirming the CBI probe—a key promise already highlighted in the BJP's election manifesto—Singh has effectively placed the Sabarimala controversy at the forefront of the electoral battle. The Minister further noted that the political shift which began in Thrissur must now continue, signaling that the Sabarimala issue will likely become a defining flashpoint in the final days of the campaign.