Uttar Pradesh Govt Forms 3-Member SIT to Investigate Ram Mandir Donation Allegations

Lucknow/Ayodhya: The Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine allegations concerning donations and financial management of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which oversees the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

The SIT was set up on the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath following a formal request from the temple trust itself, officials said. The move aims to address growing concerns over the handling of public contributions made for the temple's construction.

The team comprises senior officials: Vijay Vishwas Pant, IAS, who serves as Divisional Commissioner of Lucknow; Kiran S, IPS, Inspector General of Police; and Neel Ratan, Special Secretary in the Finance Department.

Controversy Sparks Political Storm

The issue gained prominence earlier this month after Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav alleged that crores of rupees in donations to the Ram Temple were unaccounted for. Yadav described the matter as "extremely sensitive" for millions of devotees and called upon the courts to take suo motu notice, while criticising both the trust and the state government for their silence.

In response, the trust maintained that internal audits were already in progress. General Secretary Champat Rai stated that no evidence of irregularities had surfaced so far. He emphasised that periodic audits involve representatives of the trust and the State Bank of India, with nothing significant uncovered during the ongoing review.

Mahant Dinendra Das, a member of the trust, expressed full confidence in its operations and welcomed any government-ordered inquiry.

Escalating Demands for Transparency

The controversy intensified as former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh claimed awareness of alleged misuse of funds but stopped short of providing details. Senior BJP leader Rajneesh Singh wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging full public disclosure of the trust’s finances, assets, donations, expenditures, bank accounts, and land transactions. He argued that devotees who contributed cash, ornaments, and other valuables have a right to know how their offerings are being utilised.

Uttar Pradesh minister Surya Pratap Shahi noted that the trust had initiated its own inquiry and would act as per its rules, while underlining that the matter primarily falls under the trust’s domain. The Congress party joined the calls for scrutiny, with UP Congress chief Ajay Rai demanding an independent probe led by a sitting High Court judge.

Meanwhile, Ram Temple Construction Committee chairman Nripendra Mishra distanced himself from the financial controversy, clarifying that his role is limited to overseeing construction activities and declining to comment on donation-related issues.

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