Kerala   

Minister had links with Delhi firm: Yogam chief

Staff Reporter

`Ready to hand over evidence to Chief Minister'

ALAPPUZHA: The row between Kerala Devaswom Minister K. C. Venugopal and SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan has taken a new turn. General secretary of the SNDP Yogam Vellappally Natesan on Friday said that he was in possession of evidence to show that Mr. Venugopal had links with the New Delhi-based Eco-smart company, which had been entrusted with the task of preparing a masterplan for the development of Sabarimala.

Mr. Natesan said he was willing to hand over the evidence to the Chief Minister if he demanded.

He was speaking after inaugurating the Sreedevi Auditorium at Marankulamgara Sree Bhagavathi Temple here jointly with NSS general secretary P. K. Narayana Panicker.

Mr. Natesan said he was accepting the challenge of Mr. Venugopal to prove that there was corruption in entrusting Eco-Smart with the development of Sabarimala.

He, however, said he was not demanding the resignation of Mr. Venugopal. Mr. Natesan said the Government was trying to hijack temples and rob Devaswom Boards of its wealth.

He said external forces were trying to put pressure on the Government to control the day-to-day activities of Devaswom Boards. The Government would be preparing its own graveyard if it promulgated an Ordinance interfering with the functioning of Devaswom Boards.

Mr. Panicker said the NSS and the SNDP had the same opinion regarding ending corruption in Devaswom Boards. The opinion of both the organisations was that if there was corruption, it should be investigated and proper action taken against the guilty.

He warned that whoever tried to destroy the NSS-SNDP unity would have to retract.

Our Special Correspondent adds from Thiruvananthapuram:

The Devaswom Minister said if Mr. Natesan had any record to prove that he was involved in corruption, he should hand it over to the Chief Minister.

He demanded that Mr. Natesan release such documents immediately to help the Government do justice.

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