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Senior Congress leader Pawan Bansal on Saturday alleged large-scale financial irregularities in the management of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and demanded a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the alleged misuse of donations collected for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Addressing a press conference in Shimla, Bansal said the issue was "not political but social" and concerned the faith of millions of devotees who had contributed to the construction of the Ram Temple. He alleged that for the past three decades, the BJP, the RSS and some other organisations had used the name of Lord Ram for political gains and that people from all walks of life had made donations for the temple out of faith. Bansal claimed that the 15-member Ram Temple Trust was constituted under the influence of the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister, alleging that representatives from the Prime Minister's Office and the Union Home Ministry were part of the trust's structure. He further alleged that established norms and procedures were diluted in the constitution and functioning of the trust. The Congress leader alleged that donations worth crores of rupees had been misappropriated and claimed that the matter extended beyond alleged thefts from donation collection rooms. He said the Union government, which had assumed responsibility for the trust, had failed to take appropriate action. Referring to the ongoing investigation, Bansal claimed that while the Special Investigation Team (SIT) had arrested individuals at the lower level, no action had been taken against those allegedly at the top. He alleged that votes and donations had been sought in the name of Lord Ram and demanded accountability. "We demand action against those responsible. The Prime Minister should have addressed the nation on the issue," Bansal said. Calling the Ram Temple Trust a body of national importance, he said it was comparable to a constitutionally established institution in terms of public faith and responsibility. He urged the Supreme Court to constitute or monitor an independent committee to investigate the alleged irregularities. Bansal also referred to statements made by the RSS, saying the organisation had no option but to speak on the issue. He reiterated the Congress' demand for a Supreme Court-monitored panel to conduct a fair and transparent probe into the alleged misuse of donations collected for the Ram Temple. Bansal also has demanded the abolition of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. (ANI)
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