Arvind Kejriwal, the chief of the Aam Aadmi Party, accused the Uttar Pradesh government on Friday of protecting prominent individuals amid the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. This statement followed his attendance at the temple for prayers.
Обвинения в хищении в Рам Мандир
During a press conference held in Ayodhya after offering prayers, Kejriwal declared that a 'maha dacoity' had occurred at the Ram temple, alleging that 'very powerful demons' were involved in the supposed theft. He specified that Lord Ram's belongings, including ornaments, garlands, padukas, along with substantial amounts of gold, silver, diamonds, jewelry, and crores and billions of rupees in cash donated by devotees, were stolen from the Lord's residence.
Kejriwal expressed deep distress over the incident, noting that the faith of millions of devotees had been severely wounded. He stated that he visited the temple specifically to receive blessings from Lord Ram due to this pain.
Вопросы к расследованию
Referencing the First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Ayodhya Police concerning the alleged misuse of funds, Kejriwal claimed that the individuals accused of the embezzlement were actively influencing the investigation. He asserted that since the perpetrators were involved, they would naturally avoid taking action against themselves, attempting instead to cover their tracks.
He further alleged that a fabricated Special Investigation Team (SIT) was established, leading to a counterfeit FIR where only eight minor figures were named as accused, pointing out the absence of any major names in the report.
Ответ главы Уттар-Прадеш
In response to Kejriwal's visit to Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath sharply criticized the Delhi leader. The UP CM remarked that while the people of Delhi had given Kejriwal opportunities over the years, he had provided nothing to Delhi except corruption.
Adityanath continued by suggesting that if the same level of justice applied to Ayodhya by the double-engine BJP government could be extended to Delhi by the Aam Aadmi Party, then Delhi would also experience prosperity comparable to Ayodhya Dham.
Детали дела о краже
These accusations surfaced one day after an FIR was registered against eight individuals regarding the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple. Earlier that day, a local court ordered that all eight accused be held in judicial custody until June 29, with a subsequent court appearance scheduled for Monday.
The reported irregularities have sparked significant political debate over the last fortnight. Previously, former Samajwadi Party MLA Pawan Pandey alleged that between 7 and 7.5 crore rupees in temple donations had been improperly used. Following these claims, the Uttar Pradesh government formed a three-member SIT on June 13, after the Trust itself requested an inquiry.
The SIT, which was led by Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, conducted an examination of the donation collection, counting, and storage protocols. Furthermore, it scrutinized financial documents and gathered statements from approximately 150 people connected to the temple administration. Officials indicated that the initial findings suggested implementing administrative changes to boost transparency and accountability, although the complete details of this report have not been released to the public.
