Sena: Trust, RSS chief must clarify if money for Ram temple was misused

MUMBAI: Amid allegations of corruption over the purchase of the land for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, the Shiv Sena has demanded a clarification from the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat and said the proposed temple is a matter of “faith” for them.

Sena leader and chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said that the allegations and evidence brought forward by Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Sanjay Singh is “shocking” and that Bhagwat, the temple trust and Uttar Pradesh chief minister (CM) Yogi Adityanath must tell people if there is any truth in these allegations. The Sena is expected to corner the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the issue in a bid to counter them on the Hindutva agenda.

Singh had claimed that the trust’s general secretary Champat Rai had purchased land worth ₹2 crore at an inflated price of ₹18.5 crore for the temple, and was aided by the trust’s member Anil Mishra. Singh and Samajwadi Party leader Pawan Pandey have demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) into the land deal.

Speaking to reporters on the issue, Raut said that all the members of the trust, set up for the construction of the Ram temple, were appointed on behalf of BJP.

“Crores of rupees have been donated from across the world for the Ram temple of our faith. Even Shiv Sena, through [CM] Uddhav Thackeray, had donated ₹1 crore. If the sum collected for this work of faith is being misused then what use is the faith? With the suspicious land deal that has come to light, the temple trust must come forward and clarify on behalf of the government. RSS chief must clarify and so must the leaders of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad VHP). We must get to know what transpired there [in the land deal],” he said.