‘Zero tolerance for any attempt to exploit Sanatan, faith of devotees,’ says CM Yogi after arrests in Ram temple donation theft case
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Zero tolerance for any attempt to exploit Sanatan, faith of devotees,’ says CM Yogi after arrests in Ram temple donation theft case")
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said no one would be allowed to play with the faith of devotees. Photograph: (Screengrab from video on X)
The SIT investigation identified multiple operational lapses in the donation management system, including weaknesses in cash handling, employee verification, CCTV monitoring and procedures governing the transfer of offerings from the temple premises to trust offices and banks.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Friday that the Uttar Pradesh government has zero tolerance towards anyone attempting to exploit Sanatan values and the faith of devotees and promised strict action against those accused in the alleged theft of donations received at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. CM Yogi also attacked the opposition parties for trying to politicise the issue.
Addressing a public meeting in Deoria, the chief minister said no one would be allowed to play with the faith of devotees and warned of strict action against those found guilty.
“Playing with public sentiment is unacceptable. Whoever tampers with the faith of Sanatan Dharma will have to face the consequences,” he said, while asserting that those found guilty would not be spared.
Yogi further said, “Ayodhya is a symbol of faith for all of us and of Sanatan Dharma. Do not cast an evil eye on Ayodhya. Learn to uphold the dignity of Lord Ram. We had said an SIT had been constituted and that action would begin as soon as its report was received.”
“The SIT report came, and action started immediately,” he said.
Yogi further said that he had made his position clear during his June 19 visit to Ayodhya, where he warned against bringing disrepute to a place that holds deep religious significance for millions.
All eight named accused in the FIR arrested
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Meanwhile, all the eight persons named in an FIR over the alleged embezzlement of donations at the temple have been arrested, senior officials said on Friday.
The arrests came after Uttar Pradesh Police registered an FIR on a complaint filed by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which manages the temple.
The FIR named eight people, including trust general secretary Champat Rai’s aide Ramashankar Yadav alias Tinnu, Anukalp Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Karunesh Pandey, Manish Yadav, Lavkush Mishra, Ramashankar Mishra and Subhash Srivastava.
The case was registered after a three-member SIT submitted its preliminary report recommending criminal action.
CM Yogi accuses opposition of trying to politicise the issue
Targeting opposition, CM Yogi said there are people who are trying to raise this issue today, and they are the same people who once denied the existence of Lord Ram.
Yogi accused the opposition of trying to politicise the issue and said, “One side used to say that Lord Ram doesn’t even exist, meaning these people wanted to deny Ayodhya itself. They kept fighting the case in court, kept fielding armies of lawyers against the construction of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple, and the other side is the one that would wield sticks and fire bullets at those chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’.
“Those who would fire bullets at the mere mention of Lord Ram’s name are now saying that there has been tampering with faith,” he added.
Taking aim at the Congress, Yogi accused the party of institutionalising corruption and dishonesty and said attempts were being made to distract attention from the investigation.
“Remember, the Congress did not merely indulge in corruption but also weakened the country. The same people who set records in dishonesty and corruption are now casting aspersions on Ayodhya — and that is unacceptable,” he said.
The FIR also mentions unidentified persons and invokes provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) relating to theft, criminal breach of trust, conspiracy and corruption-related offences.
SIT detects multiple operational lapses
According to sources, the investigation identified multiple operational lapses in the donation management system, including weaknesses in cash handling, employee verification, CCTV monitoring and procedures governing the transfer of offerings from the temple premises to trust offices and banks.
As per reports, the probe found that workers involved in counting donation cash were engaged through a private agency but recruited locally, allegedly on recommendations of individuals linked to temple operations.
The SIT has also scrutinised records related to gold, silver and other valuables offered by devotees and examined documentation and inventory practices.
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Cong demands dissolution of trust, SC-monitored probe
The Congress party on Friday demanded the dissolution of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and a Supreme Court-monitored probe of the alleged theft of donations received at the Ram temple.
Hitting out at the BJP-RSS, Congress said the “self-proclaimed protectors of Hinduism” have been completely exposed with the revelations of the theft of donations.
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said that after using Ayodhya for their divisive politics, the BJP-RSS “looted” from donations of ordinary devotees and made a complete mockery of their sentiments.
