Ram temple donation row: Priyanka seeks transparent probe instead of ‘cover up’
New Delhi, Jun 26 (PTI) Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday said that instead of a “cover-up” in the name of an investigation into the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, a transparent inquiry must be conducted into the “theft” and all those involved must face severe punishment.
The Congress general secretary also asked whether low-level employees acting alone could switch off CCTV cameras and embezzle offerings worth thousands of crores.
“The entire nation has been left stunned by the deceitful act of theft and plunder committed against Lord Ram — the embodiment of righteousness (Maryada Purushottam) and the upholder of truth and ‘Dharma’ — and the faith of his millions of devotees,” Priyanka Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.
“Lord Ram resides in the sacred sentiments of millions; it is with this very reverence that people bow their heads and offer donations at the temple,” she said.
Those who indulged in “theft” at the Ram temple have committed a grave sin by violating the very essence of faith and ‘dharma’, she said.
“A crucial question also arises — could low-level employees acting alone switch off CCTV cameras and embezzle offerings worth thousands of crores, or is there collusion involving powerful individuals?” Priyanka Gandhi said.
“Instead of a cover-up in the name of an investigation, a transparent inquiry must be conducted, and all those involved in this act of theft must face severe punishment,” she asserted.
All eight persons arrested over the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Ram temple in Ayodhya were on Friday remanded in judicial custody till June 29 as the issue erupted into a full-blown political storm with the ruling BJP and the opposition trading charges and counter-charges while investigators reported recovering Rs 79.85 lakh.
Amid rumours that Champat Rai, a key figure in controversy, has resigned as the general secretary of the Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) said it was not aware of any such move. Rai is also the vice president of the VHP.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath vowed that “no one” found guilty or playing with people’s faith would be spared.
The FIR, lodged at the instance of Trust member Krishna Mohan, was registered following the recommendations of the preliminary report of a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government after the allegations of misappropriation surfaced on June 7.
The eight arrested — Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lav Kush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ram Shankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava and Ramashankar alias Tinnu Yadav — were associated with counting cash and valuables received as donations at the temple.
