Ayodhya: The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Monday, July 6, accepted the resignation of general secretary Champat Rai. Bajrang Bagra replaces him.
The Ram temple trust met to decide on the resignations of and Anil Mishra in the wake of allegations of embezzlement of donations. The meeting started at the guest house inside the Ram Janmabhoomi complex, with seven of the nine permanent members, including Trust chairman Nritya Gopal Das, being present.
Rai and Mishra did not attend the meeting.
In a statement issued on Monday, Nritya Gopal Das said he was “deeply pained” by the alleged theft of donations from the Ram Lalla temple and called for the strictest punishment for those responsible.
“Every person linked to the alleged offence would be brought to justice and asserted that no one should seek political mileage from an issue connected to the faith of millions of Hindus,” he said.
The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) said it will respect whatever decision the Trust takes on the resignations of Champat Rai and Anil Mishra, who are affiliated with the outfit.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav alleged that a “power struggle” is occurring between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Yogi Adityanath government, claiming that faith and religious sentiments are being compromised.
“Our faith and devotion are being toyed with. Everyone knows what is happening, yet they remain silent. The double-engine government (in UP and the Centre) is not functioning collaboratively; instead, it is in conflict. There is a power struggle, and they have no regard for faith or devotion,” he alleged.
He claimed that those in power had become “blinded by the treasure” and that the dispute reflected a battle for control within the ruling establishment.
Yadav alleged that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the matter reflects the internal conflict within the BJP.
“If it were a matter for the Enforcement Directorate, CBI, or Income Tax, the investigation would have been handled in Delhi. Before Delhi could address it, Lucknow took charge. This situation is a result of the power struggle,” he stated.
Invoking Lord Ram, Yadav appealed to religious leaders and institutions to take note of the controversy.
“I appeal to Ram devotees across the world, saints of Ayodhya, the Supreme Court, the Lok Sabha Speaker, the citizens of Ayodhya and the PDA (Pichhda, Dalit and Alpsankhyak) society to take cognisance. The BJP can go to any extent in spreading false propaganda,” he alleged.
Regarding BJP National President Nitin Nabin’s visit to Lucknow, Yadav claimed it highlighted the friction between the party organisation and the state government.
“When their national president visited, it felt as though a curfew had been imposed in Lucknow. There is a serious conflict between the organisation and the government,” he said.
Yadav remarked about Nabin’s visit to a tea stall with party leaders, saying, “When you have nothing to do, you have tea.”
Taking a swipe at the BJP ahead of future elections, Yadav claimed that many ruling party leaders were looking to change their constituencies. “If they have the courage, they should contest again from the same constituencies. We are ready to defeat them there itself,” he said.
(With PTI inputs)
