Banks return 15,000 cheques valued at ₹22 crore to Trust
LUCKNOW: Three nationalised banks —State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank and Bank of Baroda — have returned around 15,000 cheques to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust valued at around Rs 22 crore for various reasons, including technical problems in a majority of instances, according to a Trust member.
The amount was received from devotees as contribution for construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The facts related with dishonouring of cheques were discussed at a meeting of the Trust in New Delhi with regard to an audit report presented there. In addition, there was a mismatch of around Rs 100 crore due to reconciliation in accounts, said a member of the Trust. These banks were authorised by the Trust to deposit money during the nationwide fund collection drive.
After the 44-day fund collection campaign, which began on January 15 and ended on February 27 last, a two-day meeting of the Trust was held in New Delhi on April 3 and 4 at Sankat Mochan Ashram, Ram Krishnapuram.
Around 120 activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, who had taken part in the nationwide fund collection campaign, attended the meeting at which a team of chartered accountants was also present.
Senior Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) leaders Bhaiyya Ji Joshi, Krishna Gopal, Dinesh Chandra, Milind Parande and Vinayak Deshpande were also present.
“In the audit report, problems related with mismatch and reconciliation of accounts have been pointed out. These problems are due to various reasons. All these problems have been highlighted in the audit report,” said Dr Anil Mishra, member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
During the campaign, 6.73 lakh villages were covered and 20.67 crore families were contacted. In the entire campaign, 1.87 lakh female and 18.34 lakh male volunteers took part in the fund collection drive.
The VHP had launched the 44-day nationwide campaign spread over two phases on January 15. Its aim was to connect with the people and raise funds for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.