VHP President Alok Kumar slammed SP chief Akhilesh Yadav over Ram Mandir donation ’embezzlement’ claims, calling them a political tool for the 2027 UP elections. He termed the allegations baseless and suggested legal action for rumour-mongering.
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) President Alok Kumar on Sunday slammed Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav over his allegations regarding the Ram Mandir donation ’embezzlement’ case, termed them a political tool for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
Speaking to ANI, the VHP Chief questioned the timing and intent of the former Chief Minister’s statements, suggesting that the allegations are being made without any factual basis to incite public anger. “Now, he (Akhilesh Yadav) is making baseless allegations. He has also started saying that if they come to power, they will build a ‘Siyaram Dham’. I wanted to know why they did nothing for Ayodhya when they were in power previously. Everyone understands this charade; he is campaigning for the 2027 elections,” Alok Kumar alleged.
VHP demands legal action for ‘rumour-mongering’
He further suggested that such “rumour-mongering” should be dealt with legally under the new penal laws. “Yesterday, the Trust’s Treasurer, Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj, assured that the gold, silver, and other items are all intact. So, do those alleging a scam have any basis for their claims? Such statements incite agitation and anger in society and undermine people’s faith. Such rumour-mongering constitutes an offence under Section 353 of the BNS. Therefore, we expect the police to summon those making such extreme statements. If these statements were made without any basis or proof, then an FIR should be registered, and action should be taken,” the VHP Chief asserted.
On Champat Rai’s resignation
Addressing the resignation of Champat Rai as General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Kumar stated it was a voluntary move to facilitate a transparent probe and silence critics. “Before he resigned, opposition parties and you as well used to allege that if he remained in office, the investigation would be compromised, that evidence could be destroyed, and witnesses influenced. Now, he has resigned as soon as the investigation began. So, are you asking if this resignation is a way to shield someone?” he added.
Shedding light on the sequence of events of the case, he further stated, “The entire country is aware that the construction and management of the temple are handled by the Teerth Kshetra Trust… I view Champat Rai’s resignation as the fourth significant event in this sequence. First, it came to light that individuals responsible for counting the temple offerings were misappropriating funds… Second, when the SIT arrived, Champat Rai stepped forward and said that he was the General Secretary and that the investigation should begin with him. Third, when the SIT named certain individuals as suspected offenders in its report, the Trust itself requested a comprehensive investigation into the entire affair… Consequently, both Champat Rai and Anil Mishra voluntarily submitted their resignations…”
Impact on 2027 polls
When asked if the allegations would hurt the BJP’s prospects in the 2027 polls, Kumar remarked, “I don’t know. Because the alternative options are parties that are opposed to Lord Ram. I keep praying to God as well as the government that within 4-5 months, all the criminals should be caught, the legal proceedings completed, and they should be sent to jail. If that happens, I believe it will serve as complete atonement for the scam that took place there.”
VHP to maintain distance from Trust’s administrative proceedings
Regarding the Trust’s scheduled meeting on July 6, the VHP Chief clarified that the organisation would maintain its distance from the administrative proceedings. “We have no role to play in any of that. The administration is running the Trust. It is up to them to decide whom to appoint and what arrangements to put in place. … And it is the Trust that has to decide who the next secretary will be. We will not be present at that meeting either. And we will not offer any advice from behind the scenes,” he said.
‘Unfair to target RSS, VHP’
Responding to critics targeting the RSS and VHP, Kumar termed the accusations “unfair,” stating, “That is not fair. It wasn’t the RSS or the VHP that was overseeing this. But people feel that merely implicating Champat won’t suffice. So they must speak a bit against the VHP and RSS as well. Only then will the political agenda be served…”
“Nothing will be hidden, and no one will be shielded. Conduct a thorough and transparent investigation. CM Yogi also wants the absolute truth to come to light,” he added.
Following the allegations, on June 14, the state government constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged scam involving offerings made at the Ram Mandir, following a request from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir Trust. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)