Speaking for the first time about allegations related to embezzlement of Ram temple donation funds, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday sought to blunt the opposition’s attack on the issue and hinted that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has a free hand to conduct the ongoing investigation, assuring that no guilty person will be spared, no matter who they are.
He urged people to hand over any documentary evidence related to the scam to the investigation team, asserting that the truth will emerge in 15 days, calling for patience, underlining that the Ram temple in Ayodhya was built after a wait of 500 years and cautioning against attempts to defame Ayodhya.
Adityanath was addressing a gathering in Rudauli tehsil of Ayodhya district after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of over 126 development projects. ₹378 crores including Government Ayurvedic College and Hospital in Rudauli Assembly Constituency. On Friday.
He made similar remarks later in the day when he addressed a gathering to commemorate the 88th birth anniversary of Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, chairman of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, at Shri Mani Ram Das Cantonment in Ayodhya.
He said, “The SIT was formed on the request of the Trust after we came to know about the Ayodhya incident from newspapers. It will bring out the truth and there is no doubt about it.”
Taking a strong stance, he said, “Until the SIT report comes, no statement should be made that hurts the sentiments of Ram devotees. If anyone has any documentary evidence (related to the Chanda controversy), then hand it over to the SIT.”
He said, “Our ancestors fought honorably for 500 years for Lord Ram’s temple; please wait for 15 more days. If anyone is guilty, it is certain that whoever they are, they will not be spared.”
On June 13, the Uttar Pradesh government formed a SIT following a request by the temple trust to investigate allegations of misuse of donation funds.
The SIT has already interrogated Trust General Secretary Champat Rai, Ram Temple Administrator Gopal Rao and Trust member Anil Mishra.
Rai was specifically mentioned in the administrative protocol letter issued by the district administration along with point number 29 of the document, in which he was requested to nominate a person during the Chief Minister’s visit to Ram Temple.
This was considered by some to be an instruction by the District Magistrate to Rai to stay away from the Chief Minister’s programs.
‘Don’t fall prey to those who
‘Insulted Ayodhya, Ram temple’
Attacking the Samajwadi Party and Congress for raking up the Ayodhya dispute, the Chief Minister told people, “Don’t be misled by those who defame Ayodhya and insult Ram Janmabhoomi. These people will never want Ayodhya to get respect as they have done nothing for Ayodhya.”
He said, “Those who did not provide electricity to Ayodhya and restricted it to narrow streets are today spreading propaganda and making a despicable attempt to insult Ayodhya, the first of the seven holy cities.”
Taking a special dig at the Samajwadi Party, the Chief Minister said that those who opened fire on Ram devotees, raised questions on the existence of Ram, fielded lawyers in the court to stop the construction of Ram temple, insulted Ram devotees and placed ‘fatah’ on the graves of mafias, should stop preaching.
He said, “Until the SIT report comes, avoid giving statements as it affects the investigation. After the investigation, if any party has to say something, the SIT will be ready, but do not try to do character assassination or make cheap attempts to defame Ayodhya.”
The investigation is being conducted on the basis of allegations made by Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, who on June 7 had cited reports claiming that crores of rupees of donations made to the temple were missing and had urged the courts to take cognizance of the case.
‘Akhilesh Yadav has no devotion
They worship Babar for Ram’
Taking aim at Akhilesh Yadav, the Chief Minister said that he has not yet visited the Ram temple and he has stopped his MLAs from going to Ayodhya.
Adityanath said, “When current Uttar Pradesh minister and then SP MLA Manoj Pandey proposed that all (SP) MLAs should go to Ayodhya for darshan, we accepted it, but Akhilesh Yadav did not allow him.”
The CM said, “His (Akhilesh Yadav) devotion is not towards Ram. They are people who worship Babar.”
Continuing his attack on the SP, the Chief Minister said those who ruled before 2017 did not give Nagar Panchayat (urban local body) status to Kamakhya Dham (in Rudauli, Ayodhya) because they lacked sensitivity and will.
“For him, family mattered, not the public. Jobs and facilities were only for his clan. How would those who did not have time to build the boundary walls of the graveyard install the statue of Jhalkari Bai?” The Chief Minister asked.
‘Congress, which raised the question
‘Ram’s existence is now restless’
Revealing the double standards of the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, the Chief Minister said that the Congress tried its best to ensure that the Ram temple was not constructed.
He filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court saying that Ram never existed.
He said, “The Congress which created an identity crisis for you, is today restless about Ayodhya and is saying that Ram devotees are being insulted.”
“When Congress questioned the existence of Lord Ram, was it not an insult to Ram devotees?”
“The Samajwadi Party, which opened fire and lathicharged the kar sevaks for raising slogans of Jai Shri Ram, is now preaching insult to Ram devotees!” He said.
He further said, Ram’s opponents cannot tolerate the development of Ayodhya.
Adityanath also said that SP and Congress do not like the construction of a solar city in Ayodhya, four-lane connectivity, airport in the name of Maharishi Valmiki, night shelter in the name of Nishad Raj, restaurant in the name of Maa Shabari, Ram Ki Paidi on the banks of Saryu and the grand appearance of Panchkosi, 14 Kosi and 84 Kosi Parikrama.
At the birth anniversary event of Nritya Gopal Das, Adityanath said that whenever India moves in a positive direction, “they lose sleep and start plotting”.
Adityanath urged saints and devotees “not to be influenced” by the controversy.
He said, “There is no need to get trapped in these conspiracies. We are devotees of Lord Ram and we should maintain his ‘maryada’.”
He said, “Ayodhya’s identity is linked to the dignity of Lord Ram, Kashi’s identity is linked to the spiritual energy of Lord Shiva and Prayagraj’s identity is linked to Sanatan’s harmony (bringing different communities together). We should not let these identities be lost or become a subject of controversy.”
He also said that he was happy to participate in the birth anniversary celebrations of Nritya Gopal Das.
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh told media persons in Lucknow that he will hand over all the evidence related to the donation to the SIT after officially seeking time.
Sanjay Singh said, “I have sent a written complaint from my official email ID to the state DGP (Uttar Pradesh), Ayodhya SSP and the concerned SHO, demanding registration of FIR regarding embezzlement of donation amount for Ram temple.”
“We will officially hand over all the documents of donation theft to the SIT,” Singh said.
‘The state moved forward through collective efforts’
Adityanath said Uttar Pradesh was earlier called a ‘sick’ state where youth did not have jobs, farmers were forced to commit suicide and daughters-traders were unsafe.
Speaking at the Rudauli programme, he said, “Uttar Pradesh is now on the path of development. The state is no longer ‘sick’ but is working as the growth engine of the country’s economy. The progress the state has made in nine years is the result of everyone’s collective effort.”
‘BJP government will do even better work’
Assuring the people of further development, the Chief Minister said the double engine government will also develop the sacred land between the Saryu and Gomti rivers.
The Chief Minister said, “All the MLAs are working hard to bring development schemes, but the credit goes to the public. Good work will bring good results. You give strength to the double engine government, the BJP government will do even better work.”
Prominent people present on the occasion included MLA Amit Singh Chauhan, Chandrabhanu Paswan, Abhay Singh, MLC Hariom Pandey, District Panchayat President Roli Singh, former MLA Inder Pratap Tiwari and others.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated the Ramayana Wax Museum and a regional office building in Ayodhya.
