Major face-off erupt between Congress, CPI(M) over photos of gold theft accused with Sonia Gandhi
In the latest related to the incident, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan sparked a major row by seeking answers from the Congress leadership, showing the prime suspect, Unnikrishnan Potti, and his "accomplice" in the offence, Govardhan, a jeweller from Bellary in Bengaluru, alongside Sonia Gandhi at her high-security residence in Delhi on an unspecified date
Thiruvananthapuram: As the investigation by the SIT is underway in the gold theft case, the Congress and CPM is into a direct face-off over the political affiliations of the suspects in the Sabarimala Gold Theft case. A photo of the main accused Unnikrishnan Potti along with Sonia Gandhi and another pic where the accused is spotted with Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has sparked a war of words between the two main parties.
In the latest related to the incident, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan sparked a major row by seeking answers from the Congress leadership, showing the prime suspect, Unnikrishnan Potti, and his "accomplice” in the offence, Govardhan, a jeweller from Bellary in Bengaluru, alongside Sonia Gandhi at her high-security residence in Delhi on an unspecified date.
Mr. Vijayan had said it was unusual that the suspects could breeze into Ms Gandhi’s residence, which is inaccessible to even senior Congress leaders, including Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, who subsequently defected to the BJP, like several others, after "feeling spurned”.
The photographs showed the current United Democratic Front (UDF) convenor, Adoor Prakash, then Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president, Prayar Gopalakrishnan, Congress leader Anto Antony, MP, alongside Ms Gandhi and the accused persons. Mr Vijayan highlighted the photograph showing Mr Potti tying a thread on Ms Gandhi’s wrist.
The CPI(M) has weaponised the photographs in the wake of the civic polls, which saw the UDF riding to victory on an emotive campaign powered by provocative parodies implicating the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in the Sabarimala gold theft.
Mr. Prakash stated that he would have distanced himself and also Ms Gandhi if he had known about Mr Potti’s "criminal intentions.
However, the matter has unleashed strong and cryptic reactions from the senior Congress leaders who mocked at the comments made by Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
"The latest findings by CM Pinarayi is the most absurd and illogical press meet he has ever made till date. It is common knowledge that any citizen can click photos with Sonia Gandhi. These are baseless allegations”, said VD Satheeshan, senior Congress leader to the media.