VHP urges Opposition leaders to aid Ram Temple donation investigation

Alok Kumar urged opposition leaders to assist the investigation into the alleged Ram Mandir donation misappropriation case by providing evidence for their claims. He said the Uttar Pradesh government is committed to uncovering the truth

New Delhi: Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s (VHP) International President Alok Kumar took a jibe at the opposition leaders on Sunday, saying they can “assist the ongoing investigation” into the alleged misappropriation of donations made at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple if the leaders have “enough evidence to prove their allegations”.

The VHP chief’s reaction came in reference to a letter written by him to the Investigation Officer of the Ram Temple embezzlement case, demanding verification of the allegations made by several opposition leaders, including Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, party leader Sanjay Singh and Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav.

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Talking to IANS, Alok Kumar said: “The people regarding whom (I have) written are influential individuals, holding senior positions; that is why I considered that whatever they have said, especially in the public domain, might have some basis and they might have knowledge about the facts of the case.”

Referring to the Opposition’s allegations that “more than Rs 20,000 crore are missing” from the donations made at the Ram Temple, he said: “According to the information received by us, such amount was not even received.”

“Since (Samajwadi Party leader) Professor Ram Gopal Yadav is saying this…if police questions him that how did he mention such a huge figure, who provided him with the information, does he have any supporting documents (to prove the allegations), then Ram Gopal ji should be able to convey it to the investigators,” he added.

“This will assist the investigation,” he asserted.

Citing similar allegations made by Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi and AAP chief Kejriwal, Alok Kumar said: “It has been alleged that offerings worth crores of rupees (have been stolen).”

However, the VHP chief clarified that he has not pointed fingers at the said leaders.

Taking a dig at the Opposition, he said: “I have just said that the investigators should take their help (leaders) since they know about a lot of things that even we are not aware of.

Asked about the VHP meeting being shifted to Delhi, Alok Kumar said that it is an annual meeting of the organisation which could not be held in Ayodhya this year due to “logistical issues” amid the ongoing investigation into the alleged irregularities at the Ram Temple.

“The meeting was initially postponed and will now be held in Delhi,” he said.

Regarding Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav questioning the “silence” of BJP’s central leadership over the Ram Temple controversy, the VHP chief said: “Actions are more important than words. The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, through its Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has promised to bring out the truth.”

“I believe the government is doing whatever is expected from it,” he added.