Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday, June 19, questioned Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath’s visit to Ayodhya while an SIT probe is underway into alleged embezzlement of funds at the Ram Temple and claimed that the chief minister seemed less confidence in speech and downcast in outlook.
He also alleged that no attempt should be made to influence the probe into the allegations.
In a sharp post on X hours after Adityanath addressed a public gathering in Ayodhya, Yadav questioned whether Friday’s programme had been planned suddenly or on the very day the special investigation team (SIT) was constituted.
“Why did today’s speech contain more threats than statements? Was today’s programme planned suddenly, or was it decided on the very day the SIT was constituted? Why are sources saying that local BJP MLAs and office-bearers insisted on organising this programme at short notice to save the BJP’s political ground? Otherwise, not just the Ayodhya division but the BJP’s rout across the whole of Uttar Pradesh is considered certain,” Yadav posted on X in evening.
“No attempt should be made to influence the work of the SIT through physical visits and inspections. The SIT is already under a cloud of suspicion because of its controversial members and tainted image. Why did the face appear downcast today? Why was there a deliberate effort to raise the pitch of the voice, yet no sign of self-confidence? Why did he not meet his close associates this time?” the former UP chief minister said.
Yadav also said it was not enough to separate “milk from water” (establish the truth). Rather, there must be a full accounting of “gold and silver,” he said.
“Apart from the donated money and priceless stones, an account will also have to be given of the valuable metals and jewellery that were offered,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Yadav called for the constitution of another SIT to probe “someone’s record-breaking” visits to Ayodhya in an apparent jibe at Adityanath.
The remarks came after Adityanath defended his government’s decision to order a probe into allegations of misappropriation of donation funds at the Ram temple.
In Ayodhya, the chief minister said that if the Ram Temple could be built after a wait of 500 years, people could wait 15 more days for the SIT investigation to bring out the truth.
He also alleged that attempts were being made to defame Ayodhya, the temple and the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and urged people not to fall for such “conspiracies”.
“At the trust’s request, we have ordered an SIT investigation and I can assure you that this probe will bring the absolute truth to light. There is no doubt about that,” Adityanath said.
On June 13, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a three-member SIT following a request from the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra to investigate allegations of misappropriation of donation funds at the temple.
The probe was ordered after Yadav on June 7 cited reports alleging a multi-crore malfeasance in donation money at the Ram Temple and urged the courts to take cognisance of the matter.
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