KOCHI: BJP leader and former governor Kummanam Rajashekaran said the CPM and the police had planned to arrest him on the day Sivasankar, former principal secretary to the chief minister, was arrested in the gold smuggling case. He said that he was arraigned in a cheating case following a political conspiracy hatched as part of it. The police delayed for twelve days despite the willingness of those concerned to settle the money laundering complaint. He said the case against him was concocted and will take legal steps to prove his innocence.

Kumman alleged that the government's ban on the customs in Sabarimala was the beginning of an effort to eradicate the rituals completely from next year. The government is functioning keeping the devaswom board in the dark. The decision on the rituals has to be taken by the tantri, Pandalam palace and devotee organisations. However, all actions are unilateral. The government is trying to turn Sabarimala to a tourist centre, he alleged.

Kummanam said the government is now eyeing Sabarimala like taking over a locked matchbox company. The beliefs and concepts of devotees reaching Sabarimala are being shattered. He said this while speaking at the Ayyappa Maha Sangam organized by Ayyappa Seva Samajam alleging that there is a violation of rituals at Sabarimala under the guise of COVID norms.