SIT Probe Will Bring Out Absolute Truth on Ayodhya Temple Funds: Yogi
The government constituted the SIT on June 13, following a request from the temple trust to probe allegations of misappropriation of donations received at the Ayodhya temple
New Delhi, Lucknow, Ayodhya: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday expressed confidence that the SIT probe into the alleged embezzlement of funds at the Ram temple in Ayodhya would bring the truth to light and urged all parties to refrain from making baseless comments that could hurt the feelings of devotees.
In an address to all devotees of Lord Rama, Adityanath encouraged anyone with evidence related to the case to present it to the SIT for examination. He also warned that anyone found guilty, regardless of their position, will not be spared.
"I have an appeal for all devotees of Lord Ram regarding the news reports concerning Ayodhya. At the trust's request, we have ordered an SIT investigation, and I can assure you that this probe will bring the absolute truth to light. There is no doubt about that," Adityanath said in Ayodhya, where a three-member SIT constituted by the UP government is at work.
The government constituted the SIT on June 13, following a request from the temple trust to probe allegations of misappropriation of donations received at the Ayodhya temple. The issue came to light on June 7, when Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav cited reports and claimed that crores of rupees from donations offered at the temple were missing and urged the courts to take cognisance of the matter.
On Friday, Adityanath also laid the foundation and inaugurated 126 development projects worth over `378 crores, as well as the statue of warrior Jhalkari Bai.
Making a fervent appeal, Adityanath said, "I humbly request all devotees of Lord Ram to remember that he has taught us the lesson of 'maryada' (righteous conduct). He has shown us how to live with dignity and restraint. For 500 years, our ancestors struggled to reclaim the sacred site of Lord Ram. Let us wait just another 15 days. Do not worry. However, we must not be misled by those who seek to defame Ayodhya or insult the Ram Janmabhoomi temple."
Attacking the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, Adityanath said that these parties would never want Ayodhya to gain prominence or receive the honour it deserves. He also accused them of spreading malicious propaganda.
"These are the people who fired upon devotees of Lord Ram and wielded lathis against those who chanted 'Jai Shri Ram'. They questioned the very existence of Lord Ram and created every type of hurdle by deploying their lawyers in court to stall proceedings. They should stop lecturing us," Adityanath stated.
Reiterating his appeal to avoid making unwarranted statements and comments with the SIT probe underway, Adityanath requested that any attempts to assassinate someone's character must be discouraged. "Do not try to unnecessarily tarnish the reputation of Ayodhya Dham," he said.
Sharpening his attack against the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, Adityanath posed a string of questions and asked, "Why didn't those who ruled before 2017 make Kamakhya Dham a 'Nagar Panchayat' (urban local body in the Ayodhya district)? Why didn't they provide solar panels to the poor under the 'PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana'? Why couldn't the poor access rations back then?"
"It was because they lacked sensitivity and the willpower to act. They simply were incapable of it," the Uttar Pradesh CM then alleged, adding, "You hold no significance for them. For them, their family is everything. During their government, if jobs were available, only their kin reaped the benefits and enjoyed all the facilities. Why would they have installed a statue of the brave heroine Jhalkari Bai? Their vision was limited to graveyards alone. How could they have possibly installed a statue of the brave Jhalkari Bai?"
