- Congress demands Supreme Court monitored probe into Temple funds.
- Party questioned PM Modi’s silence, SIT investigation’s impartiality.
- New complaint filed naming Trust officials over financial irregularities.
The Congress on Thursday intensified its attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the alleged financial irregularities involving donations to the Ayodhya Ram Temple, questioning his silence on the issue and demanding a Supreme Court-monitored investigation.
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal alleged that the Prime Minister’s response to the controversy exposed the BJP’s “double standards”, saying the party had built its political campaign around the Ram Temple movement but was now failing to act over what he described as a major scam.
“PM has the moral responsibility to act upon this. One of the reasons he became the PM was the Ram Temple issue. The biggest theft happened and you are mum. This is clearly exposing the double standards of the BJP. They are using God for the sake of political advantage,” Venugopal told news agency ANI.
Congress Seeks Supreme Court-Monitored Investigation
Venugopal’s remarks came a day after he wrote to the Prime Minister seeking a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the alleged donation scam.
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In his letter, he claimed that the alleged “Chanda Chori” at the Ayodhya Ram Temple had “shaken the nation” and amounted to a betrayal of the faith of millions of devotees.
Questions Raised Over SIT Probe
The Congress leader also questioned the credibility of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government, arguing that it could not conduct an impartial investigation because the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust had been constituted by the Union government.
“The Temple Trust has been nominated by the Union Government. Now the SIT is investigating; they cannot inquire into this honestly. It is very clear that the big fish are being protected,” he alleged.
Venugopal Criticises Yogi Adityanath
Venugopal also criticised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for attacking those questioning the alleged financial irregularities.
“After the theft, you are criticising those who are questioning the theft. That means you are justifying the people who have committed this theft. There should be an impartial inquiry monitored by the Supreme Court. Let CBI inquire under the monitoring of the Supreme Court,” he added.
Fresh Complaint Filed In Ayodhya
Meanwhile, the Faizabad Bar Association has filed a complaint with the Ayodhya Police, naming former Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai, former trustee Anil Mishra, administrator Gopal Rao, and others in connection with the alleged financial irregularities.
The association has also sought the registration of a fresh FIR, claiming that new facts have emerged during the course of the investigation.
Investigation Continues
The controversy began after an FIR was registered on June 25 over the alleged embezzlement of donations made to the Ram Temple.
Following the registration of the case, former Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and former trustee Anil Mishra resigned, taking moral responsibility for the controversy.
The Uttar Pradesh government subsequently extended the tenure of the Special Investigation Team by 15 days to widen the scope of its investigation, while police continue to record statements from key individuals as part of the ongoing probe.
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