Ram Temple Trust: Opposition Parties Demand Central Agency Probe Into Alleged Corruption in Land Deal

Ballia/Lucknow:  Opposition parties, such as Congress, Samajwadi Party, Aam Aadmi Party among others urged the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre to order a Central agency probe into alleged corruption in a land deal related to the Ram Temple Trust.

 On Monday, former BJP ally, Om Prakash Rajbhar of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, also backed the demand for a central agency probe into the alleged corruption in the purchase of a piece of land in Ayodhya by Trust, SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar,  accusing the BJP and RSS of having made the shrine a "medium of business".

Rajbhar also asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath when action will be taken against the accused.

However, hitting out at the Opposition over the allegations, UP Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma said some people do not miss any opportunity to defame the Ram Janmabhoomi.

On Sunday, the SP and AAP alleged that Shriram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai purchased 1.208 hectares of land worth Rs 2 crore in Ayodhya's Bag Bjaisi village at an inflated price of Rs 18.5 crore with the help of trust member Anil Mishra.

Terming it a case of money laundering, SP leader Pawan Pandey and AAP leader Sanjay Singh sought a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into the matter.

Rai, however, strongly refuted the allegations.

On Monday, speaking to reporters in Ballia, Rajbhar said: "The temple is a symbol of faith for common people but the BJP and the RSS have made it a medium of business."

The SBSP chief claimed the said piece of land was purchased for Rs 2 crore on March 18 for the construction of the Ram temple and five minutes later, it was bought by the Ram temple trust for Rs 18.50 crore.

Targeting Modi and Adityanath, Rajbhar, a former BJP ally, said, "Both the leaders claim zero tolerance (for corruption). Modi ji and Yogi ji should make it clear as to when a case will be registered against the trustee of the Ram Temple Trust and when the accused persons will be sent to jail."

"The sentiments of crores of devotees have been hurt by this scandal," he said.

The SBSP chief also claimed that BJP president J P Nadda had called him a few days ago but he refused to speak to him.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Ram temple trust's general secretary Rai had said: "Allegations of assassinating Mahatma Gandhi were also levelled against us. We do not fear allegations. I will study the allegations levelled against us and probe them."

Sisodia alleges 'scam' by Ram Temple Trust

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia on Monday sought a clarification from the Ram Temple Trust over the purchase of a piece of land for the proposed shrine in Ayodhya by it at an alleged inflated price.

Terming it a "scam", the AAP leader said the temple was being built using donations made by people and their hard-earned money should not be misused.

Addressing a press conference here, Sisodia urged the trust to not play with people's sentiments.

"The Ram Janmabhoomi Trust has purchased a piece of land in Ayodhya for Rs 18.5 crore. It was sold for just Rs 2 crore five minutes before it was bought by the Ram temple trust. There has been a scam in purchasing this land for the pious work of building the Ram temple. The Ram Janmabhoomi Trust must clarify why the land was bought at such a high price," he said.

"The temple is being built using donations made by people and their sentiments are attached to it. My request to them (Ram temple trust) is only that they should not play with the sentiments of the people who donated their hard-earned money for the temple," he said.

An insult to faith: Priyanka Gandhi

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday said misuse of donations by devotees is a sin and an insult to their faith.

"Crores of people made their offerings at the feet of God out of their faith and devotion. Misuse of those donations is unrighteous and is a sin and an insult to their faith," she said in a tweet in Hindi.

The Congress has alleged that scams are happening by taking donations in the name of Lord Ram.

Tagging a tweet on Rai refuting the allegation, Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala had said on Sunday, "Lord Ram, what kind of days are these? Scams are happening by taking donations in your name. Shameless robbers are intoxicated with arrogance like Ravana and are selling faith."

"The question is how the land bought for Rs 2 crore was sold after 10 minutes to 'Ram Janmabhoomi' for Rs 18.50 crores?" he asked.

"Now it seems… Kans are ruling, Ravana is everywhere!" Surjewala had said in a tweet in Hindi.