Congress holds press meets across cities on Ram temple donations 'embezzlement'

New Delhi, Jul 10 (PTI) The Congress stepped up its attack on the ruling BJP on Friday by accusing it of committing the "unpardonable sin" of "stealing" donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the issue is signalling dangerous complicity. The opposition party held press conferences at eight cities across the country to highlight the "embezzlement" of donations at the Ram temple, while demanding accountability from the prime minister, who had set up the trust that looks after the management of the shrine. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said people associated with the BJP-RSS have committed "the unpardonable sin of stealing offerings" at the temple and engaging in "scams" in the land purchase and construction of the shrine. "The prime minister's silence on this entire matter is signalling dangerous complicity. The country wants accountability from him, but as always, he is maintaining silence," Ramesh said in his post in Hindi. He said Congress leaders addressed eight press conferences on the issue on Friday and as part of the campaign, more than 50 press meets will be held across the country by July 12 to force the BJP-RSS to be accountable. Addressing a press conference in Dehradun, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal questioned Modi's silence over the "theft" of offerings and donations at the Ram temple, demanding a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the matter. He said for years, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) have been collecting donations in the name of the temple, and the trust authority has misappropriated that gold and money. "I have just one question -- who is responsible for the theft of donations? The Ram temple trust was formed under the supervision of the prime minister. Why is he silent on this issue?" Venugopal asked. Demanding a probe under the apex court's supervision, he said the Congress would raise the matter prominently in Parliament. In Chandigarh, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate said the "misappropriation" of donations is an attack on the faith of Hindus and those who committed it have surpassed even Mahmud of Ghazni. She also demanded a Supreme Court-monitored CBI investigation in the matter. Shrinate alleged that the Uttar Pradesh government forming a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged irregularities is just an eyewash. "This is not just a case of fraud, nor crores being embezzled. It is an attack on the faith of Hindus, a strike against their beliefs. The CBI, under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge, should investigate the entire matter," she said. "Only the small fish have been arrested, while the big ones have been spared," the Congress leader alleged. She said those who embezzled the donation funds have "even left Mahmud of Ghazni behind" and termed the "self-appointed custodians" of Hindutva "a disgrace to the religion". History books describe Mahmud of Ghazni as an invader who looted the wealth of the Somnath temple in Gujarat. Shrinate said Modi should break his "silence" on the matter as people are demanding answers. Congress's media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said in Jammu that Modi took the lead in claiming credit for the establishment of the Ram temple under the Supreme Court's orders and even at the temple's consecration ceremony, ensured that all the focus was on himself. "But when the great sin of stealing the offerings occurred, he pushed small employees forward and retreated to the back himself. Hindus are outraged by the theft that has taken place at the Ram temple. This is nothing short of a direct robbery of our faith," Khera said. In Lucknow, Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda said the "embezzlement" of donations at the Ram temple has saddened the entire country. "There were 70 thefts in just 40 days at the Ram temple and through this, the thieves have even surpassed Mahmud of Ghazni. "Whose protection did the thieves have and why is no action being taken against them? If Narendra Modi has taken all the credit for the Ram temple, why is he silent on this loot, and who is accountable for it?" Hooda asked. In Indore, Congress general secretary Harish Chaudhary demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the alleged misappropriation of offerings at the Ram temple. In Coimbatore, Congress leader and former Union minister M Pallam Raju alleged that Ram has been politically "utilised" by the BJP, starting with the Ram Janmabhoomi issue. "The very trust, the members of which the prime minister had hand-picked, has embezzled a lot of money. When such a major issue has come out, why is the prime minister silent? Why is he not respecting the faith of millions of Ram devotees now?" he asked. Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil demanded that the current trust of the Ram temple be removed and a new trust formed. He also demanded the immediate arrest of Champat Rai, the former general secretary of the trust who has resigned in the wake of the controversy, and said the matter should be investigated under the supervision of the Supreme Court. Congress leader Rajeev Gowda alleged in Chennai that the BJP, the RSS and the Sangh Parivar have committed many crimes in the name of Ram and the Hindu religion. He said Modi, the BJP, the RSS and the VHP took full credit for the construction of the Ram temple and hence, they should also take responsibility for this "loot". PTI TEAM SKC RC