Daijiworld Media Network – Thiruvananthapuram (SP)
Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 9: The Supreme Court (SC) has stayed opening of the lone remaining secret cellar, marked as ‘B’, through an order issued on Friday July 8. The bench of the court, comprising Justice A K Patnaik, and Justice R V Ravindran, also directed Raja Martanda Verma of Travancore royal family, who is the petitioner, and the Kerala government to suggest ways and means to protect the sanctity of Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple and the enormous wealth found beneath it. “Henceforth, eyes of at least some of the devotees will be on the treasure, instead of the Lord,” it cautioned.
SC has deferred hearing in the case to next Thursday. In view of the above order, the committee formed by the court to open the cellars and make a list of assets found therein, met today and dispersed without any discussions in detail. Retired High Court judge and head of the committee, Justice M N Krishnan, said that the committee will strictly comply with the SC order.
Senior advocate, K K Venugopal, who appeared in the court on behalf of the royal family which manages the temple affairs, confirmed that the royals are not laying any claims on the wealth, which it considers to be a public property. The royal family is opposing the government’s plans to take over the temple management.
The Supreme Court has also put forth a suggestion to appoint a curator to conserve the ancient treasure found from the cellars.
The state government, in the meantime, expressed its commitment to the safekeeping of the unearthed wealth, by extending budgetary support for the security plan for the temple on Friday. The security is expected to cost Rs 30 crore to the exchequer. The director general of police has recommended to the government to declare an area up to 500 metres around the temple as special security zone. The new plan proposes to replace the current arrangement, under which 200 police personnel, personnel of the Quick Response Team and police commandos are guarding the temple. A special police control room has been functioning in the temple premises.
The stay order against the opening of secret cellar B has fuelled further speculations about the amount of riches hidden inside the cellar, and also the evils the region may have to face if its doors are opened, based on certain beliefs attached to it. It is said that taking into account the antique value of the riches, it may well fetch over five lac crore rupees as per international market prices.