Ram Mandir donation probe: Nripendra Mishra hails UP govt's swift SIT

Ram Mandir Construction Committee Chairman Nripendra Mishra praised the UP government's swift move to form an SIT to probe donation allegations. The controversy arose after SP leaders alleged that large sums of donated funds had gone missing.

Chairman of the Ram Mandir Construction Committee, Nripendra Mishra, on Sunday welcomed the Uttar Pradesh government's decision to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe allegations related to donations made at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, stating that the speed of the government's response reflects its seriousness in addressing the matter.

Mishra Praises Swift Action

Speaking to reporters, Mishra said the SIT was formed within 24 hours of the allegations surfacing and noted that senior officers had been entrusted with the investigation. "The most praiseworthy aspect is that the state government acted in less than 24 hours to constitute the SIT and appointed very senior officers to it. We should support the initiative, given the speed at which the state government is acting...setting a timeframe of just 15 days," he said.

Highlighting the timeline fixed for the probe, Mishra said the committee has been tasked with submitting a preliminary report within a week. "A preliminary report is due in seven days...the committee will make recommendations regarding any pending issues, identified shortcomings, and the necessary remedial measures," he added.

Government Forms Special Investigation Team

The Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team comprising senior officials to examine allegations concerning donations received at the Ram Mandir. The SIT includes Vijay Vishwas Pant, IAS, Divisional Commissioner, Lucknow; Kiran S, IPS, Inspector General of Police (Range); and Neel Ratan, Special Secretary, Finance. The committee has been directed to submit both preliminary and final reports at the earliest.

Opposition Alleges Irregularities

The controversy stems from allegations by SP leader Pawan Pandey, former MLA from Ayodhya, who claimed that between Rs 7 crore and Rs 7.5 crore in donations had been swindled. Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav also alleged that large sums of donated funds had gone missing. He also demanded a judicial probe into the matter.

He further alleged that the silence of the Uttar Pradesh government on the matter is suspicious, urging the judiciary to take cognisance of the situation and calling on the temple administration to make relevant CCTV footage public. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut had earlier blamed both the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government over the alleged irregularities.

Trust Rejects Allegations

However, Champat Rai, General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, has categorically rejected these claims. On June 8, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust member, Mahant Dinendra Das Maharaj, refuted Akhilesh Yadav's allegations that crores in temple donations were missing. Dinendra Das stressed that all transactions are properly recorded and processed transparently. (ANI)

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