Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 7 : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of politicising Lord Ram and said any irregularity in donations made to the Ayodhya Ram Temple would amount to "theft of faith" of millions of devotees, not merely financial wrongdoing.
Sukhu made the remarks while speaking to reporters after offering prayers and participating in a havan at the Ram Mandir in Shimla along with members of his Cabinet, MLAs and senior Congress leaders.
Cabinet ministers Harshwardhan Chauhan, Rajesh Dharmani, Anirudh Singh and Vikramaditya Singh accompanied the Chief Minister. Himachal Pradesh Congress president Vinay Kumar and Shimla Urban MLA Harish Janartha were also present during the prayers.
Addressing reporters in the temple premises, Sukhu said those responsible for alleged irregularities in donations made in the name of Lord Ram should introspect.
"May Lord Ram bless those who have indulged in irregularities in donations collected in His name with wisdom. If there has been any wrongdoing in the offerings made by devotees, it is not merely theft of money but theft of the faith of crores of people," Sukhu said.
The Chief Minister said he had personally contributed to the Ram Temple construction fund when donations were being collected and recalled that while he was an MLA at the time, he had made his contribution with devotion.
"On the occasion of the consecration of Ram Lalla, the Centre declared a half-day holiday, but the Himachal Pradesh government declared a full public holiday. Our government is committed to following the ideals and values of Lord Ram in governance," he added.
Sukhu said Hindu culture teaches respect for all religions and asserted that true followers of Lord Ram do not use religion for political purposes.
"People from across the country donated money, jewellery and other offerings according to their faith. If there has been any irregularity in those offerings, it is a betrayal of the faith of millions of devotees. We have prayed to Lord Ram to grant wisdom to those who practise politics in His name and to those responsible for any irregularities in the donations," he said.
Responding to questions on the demand for an SIT probe, Sukhu said the law would take its own course but added that intent and integrity were equally important.
"The law will do its job, but the most important thing is a person's intention and moral conduct," he said.
The Chief Minister also referred to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, saying he had played an important role in the Ram Temple process, and reiterated that his government had faith in Hindu traditions while respecting all religions equally.
Taking a swipe at Himachal BJP president Rajeev Bindal over his recent remarks, Sukhu said he worshipped Lord Ram with the same devotion as any other Hindu and had long followed the values of truth, honesty and service associated with Lord Ram.
"The BJP should introspect before questioning others. Our government is implementing welfare schemes inspired by the spirit of Ram Rajya so that the benefits reach the last person in society. The BJP should examine its own intentions and respect the faith of devotees," Sukhu said.
The resignations of General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra were formally accepted on Monday as the Trust seeks to distance itself from the ongoing financial irregularities. Krishna Mohan has been entrusted with the responsibility of interim general secretary of the Ram Mandir Trust.