Wayanad (Kerala), Jun 27: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday termed the alleged theft of donations collected for the Ram temple in Ayodhya “tragic” and “shameful”, and said those responsible for collecting and safeguarding the donations should also be held accountable.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting at the Wayanad Collectorate, Priyanka demanded that the Uttar Pradesh government conduct a thorough inquiry into the alleged incident.
“It is really tragic. People from across the country-those who believe and have faith-made donations, and now those donations have reportedly been stolen. I think it is tragic and shameful,” she said.
She said the government must investigate what happened, how it happened, and why it happened.
Priyanka said many people had contributed to the temple as part of a nationwide fundraising drive and that those who collected the donations must also take responsibility.
“If people have given, women have given from their savings, from their homes, poor people have given… It’s not just funds given by big corporates. These are funds collected from ordinary citizens. There was a drive to collect them,” she said.
“Who’s responsible? If you collected them, it’s your responsibility to keep them safe,” she added.
Priyanka arrived in her Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency on Thursday and is scheduled to attend various programmes and meetings during her visit.
The controversy over the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Ram temple surfaced on June 7.
The Uttar Pradesh government constituted a Special Investigation Team on June 13 at the request of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which submitted its preliminary report to the government.
An FIR was registered on the night of June 25 based on the SIT’s recommendations, and Ayodhya police confirmed the arrests of the accused on Friday.
A senior official said the SIT had made “strong and strict” recommendations in its preliminary report submitted to the state government earlier this week and asserted that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was “very serious” about the matter, adding that anyone found guilty would face stringent action.
All eight persons arrested over the alleged embezzlement of donations received by the temple were remanded in judicial custody till June 29. (Agencies)
