The Congress on Monday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, asking how he would “stand before Lord Ram" after reports suggested that warnings over suspected theft in the donation counting process had allegedly been ignored for months.
Congress leader Pawan Khera said the controversy had raised serious questions over accountability within the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, whose members, he said, had been chosen by the Prime Minister.
“One wonders: how will Modi stand before Lord Ram now?” Khera said.
“First, donations made in the name of Lord Ram were stolen. Then, the employees who raised the alarm were silenced and thrown out of their jobs. Now it has emerged that the State Bank of India had, three months ago, recommended the removal of the donation-counting staff because of suspicions of theft. Even that warning was ignored,” he said.
“How many warnings were buried? How many red flags were deliberately overlooked? More importantly, who has turned a blind eye to these warnings? Were these not your hand-picked and trusted trustees, Modi ji?” Khera asked.
The Congress leader said the Ram Mandir Trust had been constituted under the Prime Minister’s watch and questioned the silence over the allegations.
“The Ram Mandir Trust is your creation. The treasurer is your man. The general secretary is your man. The chairman is your man. But the moment reports of theft surfaced, you left for Seychelles like it is none of your business,” he said.
“At the very least, honour the dignity of Lord Ram and the faith of millions who donated in His name. Provide answers — to the nation and to Lord Ram,” Khera added.
The remarks came after reports suggested that the State Bank of India had recommended the removal of members of the donation-counting staff nearly three months ago after suspecting irregularities in the handling of cash donations at the Ram Temple.
According to reports, the recommendation was not implemented after objections were raised by some officials associated with the temple trust.
The Ayodhya Police have recorded the statement of Champat Rai in connection with the investigation, while notices are likely to be issued to former trustee Anil Mishra and Gopal Rao as the probe widens.
While Rai and Mishra have stepped down from their positions in the trust, sources indicated that Rao may also distance himself from trust activities in the coming days.
Eight members of the donation-counting staff have so far been arrested in connection with the case and efforts are underway to recover money and assets allegedly siphoned off from temple donation boxes.
Investigators are also examining the role of two State Bank of India employees, Ratnesh and Gagandeep, who were present in the counting rooms as part of the bank’s oversight mechanism. Reports said the police had gathered evidence indicating their involvement in the alleged theft and further action against them could follow as the investigation progresses.
