Jaipur: The Congress Saturday ramped up its criticism of the BJP concerning alleged financial misconduct within the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. AICC spokesperson Ajay Upadhyay called for a Supreme Court-monitored judicial inquiry into the purported misappropriation of donations intended for the Ram temple. Addressing a press conference in Jaipur, Upadhyay claimed that funds collected from devotees were “looted” under the oversight of the BJP and RSS.Questions were raised about the recent resignations of Champat Rai, the former general secretary of the trust, and trustee Anil Mishra. Upadhyay labelled their resignations as indicative of more significant problems than mere administrative mistakes. He demanded the dissolution of the current trust, urged immediate FIRs against those implicated and insisted on a forensic audit of all financial activities, including donations, expenditures and land transactions linked to the temple.“This is a betrayal of the faith of millions of devotees,” Upadhyay asserted, accusing BJP and RSS of exploiting the Ram temple movement for political gain over the last three decades. He posed critical questions to the Modi govt regarding accountability for the alleged scam, the motivations behind the resignations and the resistance to an independent probe.Additionally, Upadhyay highlighted reports of financial scrutiny on significant temple events, including a staggering Rs 113 crore allocated for the upcoming pran-pratishtha ceremony. Allegations about fake receipts and cash offerings, he claimed, remained unaddressed, with punitive measures seemingly limited to low-level staff.The Congress has called for immediate action, including the establishment of a new, transparent trust composed of independent members and religious leaders, to ensure accountability and restore faith among devotees.
