Ayodhya (UP), Jun 18 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajay Rai on Thursday raised questions over the handling of donations received for the Ram temple, alleging corruption in matters related to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi movement and demanding strict action against those found guilty.
Rai, who visited the Ram temple and offered prayers in Ayodhya, reiterated his demand for an inquiry headed by a sitting high court judge into the allegations of financial irregularities linked to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
Talking to reporters in Ayodhya, Rai said, “This is the birthplace of Lord Ram. BJP-RSS people are indulging in corruption here.
“There have been land scams and now offerings made by devotees are being stolen.” He demanded strict action against those involved in any wrongdoing and said the truth should be brought before the public.
The Congress leader alleged that huge sums of money were collected from crores of devotees across the country in the name of public cooperation during the Ram temple movement.
The temple trust has denied any irregularities and sought an impartial probe, following which the state government constituted the SIT. The investigating team has been questioning various persons connected with the trust and temple administration as part of its inquiry.
Rai also demanded that the three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government to probe the allegations make its report public within a week.
The controversy regarding misappropriation of donations erupted earlier this month after Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav alleged that crores of rupees from donations made by devotees to the Ram temple were unaccounted for and urged courts to take suo motu cognisance of the matter. PTI COR CDN KSS KSS
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