New Delhi: RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale on Friday said the alleged embezzlement of Ram temple donations has “deeply hurt” the faith of Ram devotees and all of society, and the SIT must ensure the guilty face severe punishment. “We are all extremely pained and angered by this event,” the RSS second-in-command said in a statement on X. It is the organisation’s first response to the alleged theft of funds that has led to the arrest of eight people as well as the resignations of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra.
Asserting that “anti-Hindu and anti-national forces” are seeking to malign Hindu dharma by exploiting the “unfortunate incident”, Hosabale called on all Hindus to display necessary patience and restraint to thwart such “conspiracies”. “The unfortunate incident of theft in the donation boxes kept at the Shri Ram Lalla temple in Ayodhya has deeply hurt the sentiments and faith of the entire society and Ram devotees,” he said.
It is natural for all of Hindu society, including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, to expect the Trust to treat this “highly condemnable” incident as an extraordinary matter and take effective steps to rectify all shortcomings in temple management and operations, he added.
This, Hosabale stressed, is crucial to ensure that the faith and reverence of crores of Ram devotees in the Ayodhya temple remain unbroken and steadfast. He noted that the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a Special Investigation Team and initiated legal proceedings based on its recommendations “at the earnest request” of the Trust.
It is essential to ensure that anyone found guilty after the investigation faces severe punishment, he said, emphasising that the current “state of confusion and uncertainty” must end. “In this regard, we expect the temple management and the government-appointed SIT to take all necessary initiatives,” Hosabale said. He said the grand temple constructed at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi has become a centre of reverence, faith and devotion for all Hindus owing to the struggles of generations and the dedication, sacrifice and martyrdom of crores of Ram devotees.
“We are confident that through proper financial management, flawless and transparent operational systems, and an atmosphere imbued with purity, sanctity and true ‘dharmikta’, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust will continue to strengthen the faith and trust of Hindu society,” he said. Sources said on Friday that the SIT probing the case will conduct a re-audit of the Trust’s accounts for the past five years after the preliminary probe indicated large-scale irregularities.
The re-audit will cover construction-related expenditure as well as jewellery and other gold and silver items received as donations, they said. The SIT will carry out a detailed scrutiny of the Trust’s financial records for the entire five-year period, they added.
In another development, the Ayodhya Police questioned key accused Avinash Shukla, who was involved in donation-counting work and was arrested earlier in the case. The SIT has so far questioned Rai and Mishra as well as Gopal Rao, who has been associated with the temple’s construction and management. The Trust is expected to take a decision on the resignations of Rai and Mishra at its meeting scheduled for July 6.
