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All India Imam Association President Maulana Sajid Rashidi on Sunday alleged that questions have been raised over the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's (VHP) finances and leadership in connection with the Ram Temple movement, amid allegations of donation embezzlement.
Speaking to ANI, Rashidi said the VHP has "always been under suspicion" since the Ram Mandir movement. He referred to funds collected during the Rath Yatra and questioned the organisation's financial transparency. "Vishva Hindu Parishad is such a name that since the Ram Mandir movement took place and until now, it has always been under suspicion. At that time, 1400 crore rupees were collected during the rath yatra; they haven't given an account for that till now," he said. Linking the current allegations to the VHP, Rashidi said the Trust's general secretary Champat Rai was being kept at arm's length deliberately. "Now, with Champat Rai clearly being seen in the Ram Mandir theft, activities like this are going to take place somewhere to give a clean chit to Vishva Hindu Parishad, saying that it's okay, and it will also be said for Champat Rai that no, he is absolutely pure, clean as a whistle, he hasn't done anything," AIAA President added. The AIAA chief further claimed that Rai was intentionally keeping himself separate from the VHP to avoid larger questions. "Champat Rai is intentionally wanting to keep himself away from Vishva Hindu Parishad for now because as soon as the name of Vishva Hindu Parishad is mentioned, many things come to the eyes of the people in the country and somewhere that 1400 crore issue and this new issue could all combine to become a controversy. Champat Rai is a clever man; that's why he has intentionally kept himself a bit apart," he added. On July 3, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple arrived at the temple premises to carry out further investigation in the case. The state government on July 1 granted a 15-day extension to SIT to complete its investigation. The extension has been given to enable the SIT to widen the scope of its probe and conduct a comprehensive inquiry into all aspects of the case. An FIR was registered on June 25 after the SIT submitted the preliminary report on June 23, and eight accused were arrested. Subsequently, Champat Rai and former trustee Anil Mishra resigned, taking moral responsibility for alleged misappropriation of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Temple hours after police arrested all eight people named in the FIR. (ANI)
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