Expressing concern over the alleged scam in donations in Badrinath Dham, a priest has called it unfortunate. He said that this has damaged the image of the Dham and demanded an impartial investigation. The Uttarakhand government has also formed a high-level committee to investigate the matter.
Amid the ongoing controversy over alleged irregularities in donations to Badrinath Dham, a priest has said that these allegations have tarnished the image of the pilgrimage site. He demanded an impartial investigation to establish the truth. Refraining from commenting on the veracity of the claims, he said such incidents had never been seen in the history of the temple. He expressed confidence that the temple committee and administration will uncover the facts, and also urged not to politicize the issue.
Priest expressed concern over the allegations
Speaking to ANI, the priest expressed deep concern over the impact of these allegations on the reputation of the holy shrine. He emphasized that such claims are unprecedented in the history of the temple. The priest said, “I will not comment on whether this allegation is true or false. The fact that such allegations have been made is extremely unfortunate; it has caused damage to the Dham.”
Cited transparency measures
Underlining his long association with the temple, he said he had never heard of any such financial irregularities from his ancestors. He asserted, “Neither in the past, nor from my father or grandfather, I heard about any such scam, nor have I ever seen anything like it myself.” Highlighting the transparency measures already in place, Pujari pointed to the strong surveillance system monitoring the temple complex. “There are 32 cameras installed here. I don’t think any such scam has happened in the past nor is there any possibility of it happening now,” he said.
Talking about the need for an impartial investigation, the priest expressed full confidence in the temple committee and the local administration to handle the matter in a transparent manner. He said, “If something like this has really happened, I am confident that the temple committee and administration can and will sort it out; the truth should come out completely.” Concluding his remarks, Pujari strongly warned against turning the issue into a political weapon. “There should be absolutely no politics here,” he urged, stressing that the focus should be on maintaining the sanctity and dignity of Badrinath Dham.
Investigation into the case continues
Meanwhile, amid the ongoing investigation into alleged financial irregularities at Badrinath Dham, officials have confirmed that the investigation is still ongoing. Speaking to ANI on the status of the case, Uttarkashi Station Officer Inspector Mahadev Uniyal said, “Investigation is still going on; no comment. Right now (CCTV footage) is being reviewed. I will let you know when there is an update.”
The investigation follows recent concerns regarding possible financial misconduct at the holy shrine, which has sparked a public debate. Local administration and police officials are currently examining the available evidence to ascertain the veracity of the claims, with review of surveillance recordings being a major part of the ongoing process.
Earlier on July 10, the Uttarakhand government, on the instructions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, had constituted a three-member high-level committee to comprehensively investigate the alleged embezzlement of donations to the Badrinath Dham temple. (ANI)
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