Congress, BJP In War Of Words Over Misappropriation Of Donations At Ayodhya Ram Temple

Shimla: A war of words has erupted over the alleged misappropriation of funds at the Ram temple in Ayodhya between the ruling Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh.

On Tuesday, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, along with his Cabinet members, visited the Ram temple in Shimla, where he launched a scathing attack on the BJP after participating in the kirtan.

Sukhu said God should give wisdom to those who steal donations in the name of Ram. “This is not theft of money, but theft of faith,” he said, while stressing upon the need to purify one's feelings and intentions.

"I was an MLA at the time of the construction of the (Ayodhya) Ram Temple. We too had donated for the construction of the temple as per our faith. On the occasion of the Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla, there was a half-day holiday across the country whereas the Himachal Pradesh government had declared a full day holiday. Our government is trying to work as per the inspiration received from Lord Ram,” he said while underlining that Hinduism calls for respect to everyone and to take everyone along.

“Due to this culture, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism emerged in this country. Those who are true devotees of Ram do not do politics in his name. People donated jewellery and money as per their faith so that the ideals of Lord Ram could be adopted," he said.

Referring to the special investigation team (SIT) probing the alleged theft of donations at the temple, the Chief Minister said that the law does its work but the most important thing is to have the right sentiments.

“The first credit for building the Ram temple should go to Rajiv Gandhi because he opened the doors of the Babri Masjid. Our Cabinet believes in Hindu culture and respects all religions equally,” he stated while asking the BJP to introspect on its ideals.

Claiming that his government, in accordance with the spirit of Ram Rajya, is implementing schemes whose benefits are directly reaching the common people, Sukhu accused the BJP of lacking issues and resorting to rhetoric against his government. He advised the BJP to keep its intentions clear.

Meanwhile, responding to the allegations of the Congress, the BJP President in the state, Dr Rajiv Bindal took a swipe at the party saying, "The proverb 'After eating 900 mice, the cat goes on a pilgrimage’ is perfectly apt for the Congress party. The Congress, which practiced appeasement politics for decades, consistently opposed the construction of Ram Temple, and tried every possible way to stop the construction in court, is today demonstrating its love for Lord Ram."

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