Gujarat Congress seeks SC-monitored probe into Ram Temple Trust ‘irregularities’

Vadodara

The Congress on Friday called for a Supreme Court-monitored independent judicial investigation into alleged irregularities related to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, demanding the registration of FIRs against those it claimed were involved and questioning the Trust’s governance and financial transparency.

Addressing a press conference, party national spokesperson Surendra Rajput alleged that donations and offerings made by devotees for the construction of the Ram Temple had been misused. He said the issue was not merely financial but concerned the faith and trust of lakhs of devotees. “Politics was done in the name of Ram Mandir, and now there is alleged plunder in the name of offerings. The donations collected in the name of Lord Shri Ram have now also allegedly become victims of the political plunder of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh,” he said.

He added that devotees across the country deserved answers. “Today, the same crores of devotees of Lord Ram are compelled to ask under whose protection the donations and offerings collected in the name of Lord Shri Ram were allegedly looted,” he said. Rajput said Lord Shri Ram represented the faith, culture and moral consciousness of crores of Indians and noted that “poor people, farmers, labourers, women and devotees from across the country had contributed their savings, jewellery and hard-earned money towards the construction of the temple”.

Referring to what he described as developments within the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Rajput said that the resignations of former General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra had been accepted. He also referred to public statements by the Trust’s Treasurer, Govind Dev Giri; media reports concerning specially invited member Gopal Rao (Gopal Nagarkote); and the appointment of former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Uttar Pradesh in-charge Krishnamohan as the Trust’s new General Secretary. Rajput alleged that attempts had been made to suppress the matter, although he did not present evidence during the press conference. “The Prime Minister’s Office had played an active role in the Trust’s administrative structure and senior appointments, the Central Government could not distance itself from responsibility,” he alleged. He raised three principal questions: “When the Trust was constituted under the supervision of the Prime Minister, who will take responsibility for this alleged scam?

If everything was proper, why did Champat Rai and Anil Mishra resign? If no irregularity has taken place, why is there fear of an independent investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court?” The Congress demanded that the Prime Minister provide a public explanation regarding the role of the Central Government and the Prime Minister’s Office in the Trust’s formation, senior appointments and administrative oversight. It also sought the immediate registration of FIRs and the arrest of Champat Rai, Anil Mishra, and others whom it alleged were involved in the matter.

The party further called for an independent judicial inquiry monitored by the Supreme Court, the reconstitution of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust with religious leaders, eminent citizens, administrative experts and independent members, and an independent forensic audit of all donations, offerings, land purchases and expenditure associated with the Ram Temple project, with the findings made public. “Lord Shri Ram does not belong to any one political party. He is the faith of crores of Indians. Instead of protecting those who allegedly betrayed the faith associated with Lord Shri Ram, legal action should be taken against them,” he said.