Attempt to save big fish: Congress questions PM's silence on Ram temple 'embezzlement'

New Delhi, Jul 9 (PTI) The Congress on Thursday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence over the issue of "embezzlement" of Ram temple donations and alleged that attempts are being made to save the "big fish" and take action against small employees. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed that several irregularities relating to land purchase and the construction of the temple have also come to light. "After the theft of offerings at the Ram temple in Ayodhya came to light, several major irregularities related to land purchase and construction have also surfaced. "Despite all this, Prime Minister Modi remains silent and the entire BJP-RSS apparatus is attempting to protect the big fish by taking action against a few small employees," Ramesh said in a post in Hindi on X. In another post on X, the Congress leader said the opposition party would take the issue of alleged embezzlement of Ram temple donations to people by holding press conferences across the country on Friday and over the weekend. "Fund theft, betrayal of faith. The trustees of the Ram temple, selected by the prime minister and associated with the BJP-RSS, have been accused of serious allegations of donation theft and fraud. This has deeply hurt the religious faith of crores of countrymen. "Since the trustees were selected by the Modi government, it is responsible for their actions. Therefore, the prime minister cannot shirk accountability and responsibility by remaining silent," Ramesh said. He also said Congress leaders will address a series of press conferences across the country on Friday to raise widespread public awareness on the issue. "Senior party leaders and spokespersons will highlight the Ram temple fundraising scam, the trust's accountability, the prime minister's responsibility and the Modi government's double standards in various cities, including Chandigarh, Jammu, Lucknow, Kanpur, Chennai and Coimbatore. The campaign will expand to more than 50 cities over the next two days," the former Union minister said. Addressing a press conference here, Congress leader Surinder Rajput said Modi cannot escape responsibility in the Ram temple "donation-theft" case as it was he who had established the trust to look after the management of the shrine. He also questioned the involvement of people with a specific ideology in the trust. "In the donation-embezzlement issue, a few small fish are being used as bait to protect the big fish. In this entire matter, the needle of suspicion also points towards the RSS and the VHP, and we demand answers from them," Rajput said. He said it was Modi who had laid the foundation stone of the Ram temple and it was he who had performed the "Pran Pratishtha" (consecration) of the deity. "When a big sin of stealing the offerings has been committed, Prime Minister Modi should clarify. The Ram temple is a matter of faith for crores of people and the prime minister, the RSS and the VHP cannot escape responsibility," the Congress leader said. He also demanded that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) clarify whether it had any role in the "donation theft" and asked why the temple trust was kept out of the purview of the Right to Information (RTI) Act. "If the trust is entirely religious, why were only people connected to the BJP-RSS placed in it? The prime minister will have to answer these questions," he said. PTI SKC RC