Ram Mandir Trust chief refutes AAP & SP's land-grabbing claims; slams politicisation

Refuting allegations of land-grabbing, Ram Janmabhoomi Theerth Kshetra Trust chief Champat Rai on Monday, stated that the Trust had purchased land from surrounding villages to ensure the safety of the Ram Mandir. Rai stated that land purchased so far has been bought at a price much less than the open market price, with the consent of the owners. Claiming that those alleging a scam were attempting to confuse the public.

Ram Janmabhoomi Trust denies 'land grabbing'

AAP & SP allege land-grabbing scam

On Sunday, AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and SP's ex-MLA Pawan Pandey accused Champat Rai of buying a piece of land worth Rs 2 crore at an inflated price of Rs 18.5 crore for the Ram temple premises with help from Trust's member Anil Mishra. Both the leaders alleged that Rai purchased the land, measuring 1.208 hectares and located in Bag Bjaisi village under Sadar tehsil of Ayodhya district for a price of Rs 18.50 crore from the first purchaser, who had bought it minutes earlier on March 18 this year from its original owners for a sum of Rs two crores. Terming it a case of money laundering, Singh and Pandey both sought a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate into the land purchase for the temple premises.

Singh explained that the land was first purchased by Sultan Ansari on March 18 this year from its original owner Kusum Pathak, wife of Harish Kumar Pathak alias Baba Hardas for a sum of Rs 2 crore. Minutes later, the same land was purchased by Trust chairperson Rai for a sum of Rs 18.50 crore from Ansari, Singh said, again quoting entries of the second sale deed showing the transaction between Ansari and Rai. "How come in five minutes, this proposal was passed and the land was immediately purchased?" he asked. SP’s former Ayodhya MLA Pandey reiterated the same allegation in the temple town.

Reacting to the allegations, Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "Lord Ram, what kind of days are these? Scams are happening by taking donations in your name. Shameless robbers are intoxicated with arrogance like Ravana and are selling faith. Now it seems… Kans are ruling, Ravana is everywhere! The question is how the land bought for Rs 2 crore was sold after 10 minutes to 'Ram Janmabhoomi' for Rs 18.50 crores?".

Mandir Trust's fund campaign

The Ramjanmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust completed a 45-day fund drive for the construction of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya raking in  Rs 2500 crores in donations. 10 crore households in 4 lakh villages had been approached by 9 lakh volunteers. Setting a 3-year deadline, VHP urged devotees to continue donating using the trust's website. The way for the Ram Mandir- a long-cherished BJP dream- was paved by the Supreme Court on November 9, 2019, when it pronounced a unanimous verdict, awarding the entire disputed area in Ayodhya to the Hindu parties. PM Modi did the Bhoomi Pujan, laying the foundation for the Ram Mandir on August 5, 2020.