Ram temple row: Cong slams BJP-RSS for 'whitewashing theft', calls for making details of donations public

New Delhi, Jul 7 (PTI) The Congress on Tuesday accused the BJP-RSS of "whitewashing" the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and demanded that the details of all donations be made public. Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot accused the BJP-RSS of having "captured" the administration of the temple in an "unauthorised manner". Addressing a press conference here, Gehlot reiterated the party's demands that the the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust should be dissolved, a probe under the supervision of a sitting judge of the Supreme Court be carried out, and the details of the donations made to the Ram temple by the people be made public to ensure transparency. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi should come forward on this issue but is not doing so," he said. Gehlot said the BJP-RSS ran the Ram temple movement for decades and it is because of that they were able to come to power. "There is a sentiment of betrayal among the people due to the events that have happened," he said. "You have the double engine government and then you say it is mere negligence. First they stated nothing happened, then they formed an SIT, then lodged an FIR, then there were resignations. There are attempts to whitewash the whole issue," Gehlot said. "Their real face has come to the fore, their 'chaal, charitra and chehra' is before the people. The BJP-RSS have captured the temple administration in an unauthorised manner," he alleged. His remarks came a day after the Ram temple trust on Monday accepted the resignations of Champat Rai as its general secretary and member Anil Mishra in the wake of the donation theft row. Trustee Krishna Mohan has been named as interim general secretary. Promising to overhaul the donation system and restore the faith of devotees, the Trust also announced the formation of a three-member search committee to identify a chief executive officer (CEO) for the temple trust. The panel comprises retired judge Pramod Kohli, retired Lieutenant General Vishnukant Chaturvedi and trustee Suresh Haware. Trust treasurer Govind Giri stated this on Monday after an over three-hour meeting of the temple body in Ayodhya to discuss the fallout of the scandal that has sparked widespread outrage and a political firestorm, with the BJP and the Sangh Parivar, which led the Ram temple movement, struggling to control the damage. Giri described the theft from the temple's donation boxes as a matter of "deep pain and embarrassment" for the Trust, saying the controversy had cast a shadow over a temple built after a centuries-long struggle and countless sacrifices. The treasurer, however, said the Trust unanimously appreciated Rai's contribution to the Ram temple movement and construction despite accepting his resignation. Defending Rai, Giri said he "is untainted in my eyes" and hailed his "life of sacrifice" for the Ram temple movement, while suggesting that his only mistake may have been placing trust in the wrong people. He said the entire donation management system would be overhauled and also faulted the State Bank of India, saying it should have lodged the FIR in the case. The Congress on Monday said that by accepting the resignations of Rai and Mishra, the Trust has effectively accepted that the 'chanda chori' reports were true, and demanded a Supreme Court-supervised probe into the donation theft row at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Maintaining that the country deserves complete dissolution and overhaul of the Trust, Congress leader Pawan Khera had said accountability should not end with the Trust and it must extend to Prime Minister Modi, who constituted the Trust, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who allegedly allowed this loot to go on without any scrutiny. PTI ASK SKC DV DV