Actor Jayaram responds to Sabarimala gold-plating row, says he only attended 'pooja' on invitation

Chennai: Actor Jayaram, on Saturday, responding to the Sabarimala gold-plating controversy, said that he never imagined the situation would take such a turn, adding that he has been a devotee visiting the Sabarimala temple for the past 50 years.

Jayaram recently came under scrutiny after reports emerged that he had participated in an exhibition organised by Unnikrishnan Potty in July 2019 in Chennai, which showcased the gold panels of the Dwarapalaka idols of the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple. He confirmed that he had attended the pooja held at a company in Ambattur, upon invitation from Unnikrishnan Potty.

"I considered it a great blessing. I never thought that things would take such a turn after more than five years," he said. "Let the truth come out. If I have done anything wrong, I am ready to face the consequences. If anyone touches even a single form of Lord Ayyappa with ill intent, they will have to face the consequences," he added. 

Jayaram said that his only wish is for those who have committed any wrongdoing to be caught and brought to justice. He also denied reports that he had given a statement to the Devaswom Vigilance as part of the investigation.