Ayodhya: Ravana had already reached Lord Shri Ram’s temple…
NEW vDELHI : A new twist has emerged in the case of theft of offerings at the Ram Temple. Vinay Katiyar—a three-time BJP MP from Faizabad and founder of the Bajrang Dal—has stated that General Secretary Champat Rai, Administrative Officer Gopal Rao, and Trustee Anil Mishra might have to go to jail in the coming days. The Bajrang Dal is an affiliate organization of the RSS.
In a *Hindustan Times* report, Katiyar described the systematic looting of funds as a direct attack on the country’s religious culture and a betrayal of the faith of millions of devotees who contributed to the temple’s construction.
Terming this embezzlement an “open dacoity” in the house of God, Katiyar demanded a complete restructuring of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, bringing in honest and capable individuals. He mentioned that he had raised this issue directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a phone call. While expressing satisfaction that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) is actively probing the matter, Katiyar noted that efforts are still being made behind the scenes to shield certain influential figures.
Due to the political fallout from the cash theft, affiliate organizations have had to strictly distance themselves from the accused leadership. In a formal interview published in the *Times of India*, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) International President Alok Kumar sought to keep his organization clear of this unfolding criminal scandal.
When asked about the VHP’s moral accountability given its historic ties to the temple movement, Kumar laid the entire blame on the executive officials, stating, “When Champat-ji is the General Secretary of the Trust, we cannot be held responsible for his wrongdoings.” However, reacting to Katiyar’s statement, Kumar told the news agency ANI, “He [Katiyar] seems truly confused… I do not think he spoke with a sound mind. His words suggest confusion; there is some issue with him.” Kumar acknowledged that the theft of public donations is a serious moral blemish that has deeply hurt the faith of the 12.5 crore families who contributed funds to this project. Although the leaders facing criticism have resigned from their posts to prevent any influence on witnesses or tampering with evidence, demands for systemic accountability continue to grow.
According to a *Deccan Herald* report, “It is surprising that television news channels have highlighted this story of alleged embezzlement so vigorously.”
The newspaper notes, “The absence of BJP national spokespersons from these debates is equally striking, causing the entire scrutiny to focus almost exclusively on the RSS and VHP rather than the government.” Meanwhile, Mahant Dinendra Das, head of the Nirmohi Akhara, remarked, “A theft has occurred in Ram Lalla’s abode; such an incident should not have happened.” He was responding to a question about whether more people from Ayodhya should have been included in the trust. Nine of the trust’s 14 members have close ties to the RSS.
Das is one of the 14 members of the ‘Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust’. The Nirmohi Akhara was one of the litigants in the Supreme Court case regarding the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute, the verdict of which ultimately went in favor of the Hindu side. As *The New Indian Express* had previously reported, Das had criticized the trust’s special invitee member, Gopal Rao, accusing him of “playing politics.” He further told this reporter, “There should have been an accounting of every transaction. Even Ram himself adhered to societal norms; that is why he chose to go into exile. Therefore, if something is being kept secret [in the context of financial transactions], it is tantamount to theft.” He made these remarks in response to questions about various complaints circulating on social media, where people claim they never received a receipt from the Trust for donations made in the form of silver bricks or other ornaments.
When asked whether the incident of theft from the temple funds had tarnished the image of both the Ram Temple and the city of Ayodhya, Das told *The Wire*, “Since the theft has occurred, you can well understand that Ravana has arrived there. However, the Chief Minister is looking into the matter; all such individuals will inevitably be sent to jail, and they [the accused] could even face the death penalty.”
