Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday accused the BJP of protecting those allegedly involved in a “massive theft” of offerings at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and demanded strict punishment for the accused.
Addressing a press conference in Ayodhya with AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, Kejriwal alleged that jewellery, ornaments, silver, gold and cash offerings made at the Ram temple had been stolen.
“A massive ‘chanda-chori’ has taken place in Ram Lalla's own home,” Kejriwal said, alleging that “very powerful monsters are involved in this theft.”
He further alleged that the investigation into the matter was being manipulated to protect senior people. “First, a fake SIT was constituted, and yesterday a fake FIR was registered. In that fake FIR, only eight small pawns have been named,” he said.
Kejriwal also alleged financial irregularities in land transactions linked to the temple trust and claimed that complaints regarding the matter had repeatedly been ignored.
The AAP chief said devotees across the country were hurt by the allegations and claimed that donations to the temple had sharply declined after reports about the issue surfaced in the media.
He also demanded that political leaders and government officials be removed from the temple trust and that the temple administration be handed over to “sants” and “dharmacharyas”.
Targeting the BJP, Kejriwal referred to it as a “Chanda Chor Party” and said, “If they looted Bhagwan Ram, what will they do to you?”
Responding to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Kejriwal said, “Maharaj Ji, these ‘chanda-chors’ are conspiring to remove you as well.”
AAP MP Sanjay Singh alleged that an FIR was registered only after Kejriwal reached Lucknow on Thursday on his way to Ayodhya.
What the UP government said
UP CM Adityanath defended the probe into the alleged Ram temple donation embezzlement case and said action was initiated immediately after the SIT submitted its report. Addressing a gathering in Deoria, Adityanath said all eight persons named in the FIR had been arrested and asserted that “no one can be given any exemption” if found guilty, as per a PTI report.
The CM alleged that some political parties were attempting to defame Ayodhya and Ram devotees without evidence. “If there is no evidence, stop the propaganda. If there is evidence, submit it before the SIT,” he said. Adityanath also criticised AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal over his remarks on the FIR and said Delhi would have “shone like Ayodhya Dham” had the AAP government worked similarly in the national capital.
