Ram temple donation row: Akhilesh intensifies attack on BJP, adds 'land grab' charge

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday escalated his attack on the BJP over the Ram temple donation row, questioning the alleged lack of transparency in the management of donations and claiming land-related irregularities in Ayodhya.

Yadav's comments came days after the Uttar Pradesh government established a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate allegations of embezzlement of donations made to the Ram temple and issues concerning the financial management of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

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Addressing a press conference at party headquarters here, Yadav claimed that CCTV footage related to the alleged irregularities was missing and that transparency was absent in handling donations. "People are asking why no proper account is being provided. Questions are being raised about donations, offerings, and other funds," he stated.

The SP chief also alleged that complaints about land-grabbing incidents and irregularities in Ayodhya had consistently been brought to the government's attention.

Claiming that locals and party workers had shared information with the opposition, Yadav alleged that several people had lost possession of their land and appealed to residents to provide details of alleged cases of land acquisition and demolition of houses so that the issues could be documented and raised before the government.

He accused the BJP of being more concerned with money than religion and said that people wanted development, prosperity, relief from inflation and an end to divisive politics.

The three-member SIT continued its probe into the alleged irregularities in the temple's donation funds and questioned several people associated with the temple management. It is also examining allegations regarding the trust's financial management.

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The SIT was constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government on June 13, following a request from the trust, which said an impartial inquiry was necessary to establish facts and counter what it described as misinformation surrounding the issue.

The controversy erupted after Yadav, on June 7, cited reports alleging that crores of rupees offered as donations at the Ram temple were missing and urged courts to take cognisance of the matter. The trust has denied wrongdoing and said internal audits had not found evidence substantiating the allegations.