Kerala Assembly Erupts: Opposition Demands Minister's Resignation Amid Sabarimala Gold Controversy

Tensions flared in the Kerala Assembly on Wednesday when opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) members clashed with watch-and-ward personnel. The confrontation arose as UDF MLAs demanded the resignation of Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan over alleged irregularities with gold-plated coverings on the Dwarapalaka idols at Sabarimala temple.

The disruption began during the question hour, prompting Speaker A N Shamseer to cancel the session. The standoff included a heated exchange of words between opposition and ruling party members. General Education Minister V Sivankutty voiced his displeasure over the opposition's protest tactics, which included blocking his view with banners.

The controversy intensified as opposition leaders, led by V D Satheesan, claimed the deity idols were unaccounted for and sold. A Kerala High Court directive has now called for a special investigation to probe the allegations. Meanwhile, the court has ordered a detailed inventory of Sabarimala's valuables under the supervision of retired Justice K T Sankaran.

(With inputs from agencies.)