New Delhi, June 24 (IANS) Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress leaders on Wednesday raised concerns over the alleged Ram Mandir donation irregularities and demanded greater transparency, accountability, and a thorough investigation into the matter.

Speaking to IANS, SP MP Neeraj Kushwaha said that the report prepared by the three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) should be carefully examined by the government and made public.

“Whatever report has been prepared by the SIT should be thoroughly reviewed by the government. A proper disclosure should be made, and those responsible for managing the system should be removed immediately if any wrongdoing is found. Lord Ram is worshipped by millions of people in this country, and if there has been any misuse or looting of donations offered in the name of faith, it deeply hurts the sentiments of people across the nation,” Kushwaha said.

He further stated that people across the country were distressed by the allegations. Referring to media reports, he claimed that members of the Sindhi community had donated silver bricks weighing around 200 kg, but questions were now being raised regarding their whereabouts.

“I would also like to urge the government to ensure complete transparency regarding temple offerings. There should be display boards showing the amount of donations received every day and details of how that money is being utilised,” he added.

Congress leader Rudra Daman Singh also demanded immediate legal action. “After donations were collected for the Ram Temple, allegations of a land scam surfaced. Now, there are allegations of misappropriation involving offerings worth thousands of crores. Despite this, no police case has been registered so far. We demand that an FIR be lodged immediately and that the matter be investigated under the supervision of a sitting High Court judge,” he said.

Congress leader Amit Tyagi described the allegations as extremely serious, saying the Ayodhya Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh, is closely linked to the faith of Hindus across the country and worldwide.

“The issue that has come to light is known to everyone. The alleged theft involving temple offerings and donations is a matter of grave concern. Every time a Special Investigation Team is constituted, but what are the outcomes? We demand that the government make public the findings of all SITs that have been constituted so far,” Tyagi said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the SIT submitted a report on its initial findings to the Uttar Pradesh government on the donation row.

The SIT team handed over a preliminary report to Uttar Pradesh Home Secretary Sanjay Prasad and is understood to have pointed out procedural lapses at multiple levels.

The SIT team, comprising Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General of Police Kiran S, and Finance Department Special Secretary Neel Ratan, scrutinised various temple records about gold and jewellery offerings at the temple, handling of cash and other valuables offered by the staff and also scanned CCTV footage to arrive at the conclusion.

Though a detailed investigation into alleged embezzlement is underway, the SIT team is understood to have zeroed in on alleged lapses and loopholes regarding the management of temple funds and gold offerings. It is also believed to have flagged discrepancies in its initial report, about the cash handling process, its transportation to Temple Trust office and also CCTV surveillance.

The SIT team, constituted on June 13 at the behest of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath after the temple donation row turned into a political storm, was asked to submit its final report within 15 days.

The SIT team, during its investigation, also grilled many suspects, including those directly involved in handling cash donations and offerings at the temple.

After the SIT team submits its final report in a week, the Uttar Pradesh government is likely to clamp down on those under the scanner for alleged financial mismanagement and siphoning off of cash and offerings meant for Lord Ram, for personal use.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, during his visit to Ayodhya on June 19, stated that the SIT probe will bring out the truth and will unmask the irregularities.

He had also asked the devotees to share any ‘inputs or evidence’ with the SIT team if they had any, about the alleged malpractices.

–IANS

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