Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 30 : Launching a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kirti Azad on Tuesday accused the ruling party of large-scale "theft," ranging from the embezzlement of temple donations to the manipulation of electoral rolls.
Speaking to the media in Kolkata, the TMC MP alleged that the BJP has even misappropriated funds collected in the name of Lord Ram to fuel its election campaigns.
"Since the BJP came to power, theft is happening everywhere. They even embezzled funds from the donations collected in the name of Lord Ram, the very name they rode to power on, and used that same money to fight elections," Azad alleged.
The TMC MP further levelled serious charges regarding the integrity of the electoral process, specifically citing the recent political developments in Maharashtra and Haryana.
"In Maharashtra, they manipulated the voter rolls, removing 40 lakh votes within three months. Then, in Haryana, everyone predicted a Congress win, yet the BJP emerged victorious. It is all theft--theft of donations, theft of MP seats, theft and robbery involving the temple," he claimed.
Questioning the democratic functioning of the country under the current dispensation, Azad characterised the government's actions as a slide toward "dictatorship."
"That is why we are opposing them; the fight will continue. They want to eliminate everything so that no opposition remains. But how can the country function then? Is this a dictatorship?" Azad questioned.
His remarks come after the recent controversy surrounding the alleged embezzlement of donations ignited a fresh political row across the country. While opposition parties have targeted the government over the issue, the ruling BJP has hit back, recalling the opposition's previous stance against the construction of the Ram Temple and accusing them of manufacturing a controversy.
Meanwhile, on Monday, a local court in Ayodhya remanded all the accused in the alleged donation scam to 14 days of judicial custody. The court's decision follows a high-intensity investigation by the Uttar Pradesh Police into reports of financial irregularities and the misappropriation of funds and offerings at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple.
The case has triggered a massive political slugfest in Uttar Pradesh, with the ruling BJP and opposition parties trading sharp allegations over the handling of the temple's finances, even as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe continues.