VHP urges police to seek proof from Oppn on Ram temple ‘theft’ allegations

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has urged the Ayodhya Police to examine claims made by Opposition leaders on the alleged donation theft case at the Ram temple, ask them to furnish proof and take action against them if they made the allegations to promote feelings of “hatred, ill will and enmity”.

Letter to investigating officer

In a letter dated July 4 to Ayodhya Deputy Superintendent of Police Ashutosh Tiwari, the investigating officer in the case, VHP international president Alok Kumar said Opposition leaders including Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal have made specific allegations that have been widely circulated through television channels, social media platforms and other electronic media, and urged the investigating officer to call them to disclose the factual basis of their claims, the source of their information and any documents or material supporting them.

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Kumar said the leaders have publicly made specific allegations and have even attributed definite figures, including allegations involving amounts exceeding Rs 20,000 crore.

"The allegations made by the above named and other persons lead one to believe that they are acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case," the letter said.

Opposition charges

Referring to their public statements, Kumar said Priyanka questioned whether junior employees alone could have switched off CCTV cameras and manipulated offerings worth thousands of crores, or whether influential people are involved.

Kumar said Kejriwal alleged that about Rs 200 crore in cash, besides Lord Ram's garland, charan padukas, diamonds, jewellery, silver bricks and lamps, have allegedly been stolen, and questioned the silence of the Uttar Pradesh Police, the ED and the CBI.

The letter also referred to public statements allegedly made by Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav and AAP MP Sanjay Singh on the "theft" of cash and valuables donated at the temple.

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In the letter, Kumar noted that Yadav alleged a Rs 20,000-crore scam, claiming that cash and valuables donated by devotees from India and abroad have allegedly gone missing and that not only junior employees and Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai, who has since tendered his resignation, but also several influential people are allegedly involved.

The letter said Sanjay Singh alleged that more than Rs 200 crore has allegedly been stolen from the temple's donation boxes and that over 50 employees are allegedly involved.

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Kumar said in order to ensure a fair, comprehensive and impartial investigation, it would be appropriate to require the attendance of the aforesaid persons under the applicable provisions of law, or otherwise record their statements so that they could disclose the factual basis of their allegations, the source of their information and all documents or other material in their possession supporting such allegations.

"Should any of the aforesaid persons furnish credible material in support of their allegations, the same would undoubtedly assist the investigating agency in discovering the truth," the letter said.

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It added that if, upon examination, the allegations were found to have been made without any factual basis or supporting material, that too would constitute a relevant aspect of the investigation.

‘Action must against wild allegations’

"If it is found that knowingly false or reckless allegations have been made without any supporting basis, the investigating agency may consider taking such action as may be permissible in law. Nobody can be permitted to make wild allegations that tend to create and promote feelings of hatred, ill will and enmity and get away with it," the letter said.

"In such case, the law will then take its own course," it added.

(With inputs from agencies)