‘Opposition attacking India’s faith’: UP CM calls upon people to be vigilant amid Ram Temple donation theft row

Underfire over the issue of alleged embezzlement of donations at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday accused the Opposition Samajwadi Party and Congress of “attacking India’s faith”.

Addressing the BJP’s ‘Shakti Kendra Sanyojak Sammelan’, Adityanath said that the “double engine” government in the state has ensured that the benefits of welfare schemes reach every section of the society.

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“This is precisely what troubles these opposition parties: the Samajwadi Party and the Congress. Their concern is that the very sections of society they used to divide along lines of caste and class have now been brought into the fold by the double-engine government through welfare schemes,” the Chief Minister said.

The issue of the alleged donation theft at Ram Temple came to light after Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav’s social media post, prompting the Uttar Pradesh government to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter and lodge a formal FIR.

However, the UP CM alleged that the Opposition has now resorted to “attacking India’s faith” as its “divisive efforts” have already failed.

“Seeing their divisive efforts fail, they are now resorting to attacking India’s faith. That is why I call upon all of you: this is the time for us to be vigilant,” he added.

His remarks came amid Yadav’s fresh allegations that a gold ‘Ramcharitmanas’ donated to the Ram Temple has also been stolen.

“Those who do not respect the ‘Constitution’—the BJP and their allies—should at least spare the donated gold ‘Ramcharitmanas’. BJP folks indulge in corruption from accounts to books,” the Samajwadi Party chief said, sharing a screenshot of a newspaper.

In the news shared by Akhilesh Yadav, it is being alleged that the 147 kg holy book made of gold was donated by a former home secretary to Champat Rai, the General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, who is also being questioned in connection with the donation “theft”.

While Rai has tendered his resignation, his resignation is yet to be accepted by the trust. One of his associate, Tinnu Yadav is among the eight people arrested so far in connection with the alleged theft.