Mon Oct 06 09:20:23 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the text and a rewritten news article based on it:

**Summary:**

Kerala Minister for Devaswoms, V.N. Vasavan, welcomes the Kerala High Court’s probe into the Sabarimala temple gold “theft” controversy, highlighting that the alleged incidents occurred in 2019. He accuses the opposition UDF of politicizing the issue to tarnish the Global Ayyappa Sangamam conclave, stating the government will cooperate with the investigation. Vasavan also suggests procedural lapses occurred in 2019 when a former temple helper took metal plaques to Chennai for gold-plating unaccompanied by officials. He suspects a conspiracy due to the timing of the allegations, coinciding with the Ayyappa Sangamam conclave and the subsequent recovery of the missing artifacts from the former helper’s relative’s house.

**News Article:**

**Kerala Minister Welcomes Probe into Sabarimala Gold Controversy, Alleges Conspiracy**

*THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Oct 6, 2025* – Kerala Minister for Devaswoms, V.N. Vasavan, today addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding alleged gold theft at the Sabarimala temple, welcoming the Kerala High Court’s decision to launch a high-level probe into the matter.

Speaking at a press conference, Minister Vasavan emphasized that the incidents in question date back to 2019 and accused the opposition UDF (United Democratic Front) of deliberately attempting to reignite the issue to damage the upcoming Global Ayyappa Sangamam conclave.

“The Kerala government has complete faith in the court’s decision and will fully cooperate with the investigation,” Vasavan stated. “We believe this investigation will reveal the complete truth surrounding this issue, spanning from 1998 to the present.”

The minister also pointed to potential procedural lapses in 2019 when Unnikrishnan Potty, a former Sabarimala temple helper at the center of the controversy, transported metal plaques to Chennai for gold-plating without the presence of Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials.

While affirming the government’s non-interference in the daily operations of the TDB, Vasavan expressed strong suspicion regarding the timing of the allegations. He noted that Mr. Potty’s accusations of missing artifacts surfaced just days before the Global Ayyappa Sangamam conclave, leading him to believe there may be a calculated conspiracy at play. The missing artefacts were recovered from Mr. Potty’s sister’s house.

“Let all aspects of the incident be investigated,” he said.

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