Amid the row over alleged Ram Temple donation theft, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday declined to respond when asked about reporters that faith in Lord Ram is being undermined by some people.
As reporters sought his reaction, Bhagwat simply acknowledged the question by raising his hand, said “Ram-Ram”, and went into his car without making any comments.
This comes a day after RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said that the alleged theft of donations at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple has “deeply hurt” the sentiments and faith of the entire society and noted that it was essential to ensure that anyone found guilty after the investigation faces severe punishment.
He claimed that “anti-Hindu and anti-national forces” were trying to malign the Hindu dharma by exploiting “this unfortunate incident”, urging people to exercise restraint and avoid getting misled.
The RSS leader, however, didn’t tell who were these “anti-Hindu” and “anti-national” people.
“We expect all necessary steps to be taken by both the temple administration and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the government,” Hosabale said in the first official statement issued by the RSS on the controversy.
Calling the alleged theft an “unfortunate incident” Hosabale said that it “has deeply hurt the sentiments, faith and devotion of the entire society and millions of Ram devotees. We are all deeply distressed by this incident.”
Describing the Ram Temple as a symbol of reverence and faith for the Hindu community, he said it had become a reality through generations of struggle and the dedication, sacrifice and contributions of millions of devotees.
“At the request of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, the Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a Special Investigation Team, and legal proceedings have been initiated. It is essential to ensure that whoever is found guilty during the investigation is awarded strict punishment,” he said.