Congress targets PM Modi over Ayodhya Ram temple donation row, demands statement in Parliament

The Congress has demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi address Parliament regarding the alleged Ram temple donation embezzlement. Jairam Ramesh accused the PM-appointed Trust of committing "aastha dhoka," as the Supreme Court-monitored probe awaits an interim report

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced in Parliament the setting up of the Ram temple trust whose activities have resulted in “aastha dhoka (betrayal of faith)”, and demanded that he must break his silence on the issue of alleged donation theft on the floor of the House.

Speaking with PTI ahead of Parliament’s Monsoon Session, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the PM created the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust through an announcement in Parliament and it is only appropriate that he takes the two Houses into confidence on what has happened.

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“On February 5, 2020, the prime minister himself got up in the Lok Sabha, one of those rare occasions when he comes to Parliament. He came to Parliament to make the announcement that his government was setting up the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust,” Ramesh said.

The Trust was set up by the prime minister and it comprises people appointed by him, Ramesh said, adding the Trust’s activities, its functions, its terms of reference were given by Modi.

“It is this Trust that has betrayed the faith of crores of Indians. There has been ‘chanda chori, aastha dhoka’ by the activities of this Trust,” Ramesh alleged.

“So the prime minister must break his silence on the floor of the House. He created this Trust through an announcement on the 5th of February 2020. It’s only appropriate that he takes Parliament into confidence. What has happened? How has this ‘chanda chori, aastha dhoka’ taken place in the Trust that he himself took great pride in creating,” the Congress leader said.

The alleged embezzlement came to light last month, following which an SIT was constituted. The investigation has so far led to the arrest of eight accused, resignation of two Trust functionaries and the recovery of cash allegedly siphoned off from temple donations. The probe is continuing.

A preliminary nine-page report has been submitted to the government of June 23 by the SIT probing the case, which had triggered a series of actions in the case.

Former Trust general secretary Champat Rai, whose resignation was accepted amid the controversy, had said in a letter that he would break his silence only after the SIT submitted its final report. In the same letter, he also questioned how the confidential preliminary SIT report had found its way into the public domain.

The probe has also come under the scrutiny of the Supreme Court. On July 13, the apex court directed the SIT to submit a status report on its investigation while issuing notice to the Trust on petitions seeking a fair and time-bound probe into the alleged donation embezzlement.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant sought the status report from the SIT, which comprises Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General of Police Kiran S and Special Secretary (Finance) Neel Ratan.

Sources said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) may submit an interim report to the Supreme Court on Monday in compliance with the apex court’s directions.