New Delhi [India], July 1 : Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Delhi unit President Kapil Khanna on Wednesday said that Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust should offer a clarification regarding the alleged donation embezzlement in Ayodhya temple and make the facts public.
Speaking to ANI, Khanna expressed confidence in the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case.
"I believe it is up to the Trust to come forward, clarify the situation, and make the facts public. A task is underway, and it is possible thadonation embezzlement case and make the facts public.t some errors or oversights occurred during the process. An SIT was constituted, and its report has been submitted. Following the report, the recommended actions have either been taken or are currently in progress. The entire situation is coming to light through the formation and functioning of the SIT, and the outcome will soon be revealed to everyone," the VHP Delhi unit President said.
While Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has sharply criticised the BJP over the alleged embezzlement of donations, Khanna hit back by recalling the 1990 Ayodhya firing incident when the VHP was leading the "Kar Seva" for the Ram Temple.
He said, "These are the very people who used to question the existence of Lord Ram. Those who questioned Lord Ram's existence are the killers of Ram devotees. We all know what happened in 1990. Kar Sevaks were on their way to perform Kar Seva when bullets were fired at them. They perpetrated another Jallianwala Bagh, and now they are raising questions. It (Ram temple) was constructed following the Supreme Court's order. Yet, claims were made that the temple shouldn't be built by removing a mosque, even though no mosque existed there."
Further, Khanna alleged a "sinister plot" behind Akhilesh Yadav's criticism, while noting that the Temple Trust itself called for an SIT probe into the case.
"Whenever such people raise questions, there is invariably a conspiracy or a sinister plot behind it. It is evident that the Trust is taking this matter seriously; that is precisely why the Trust itself requested the SIT probe. I believe the SIT is performing its duties with the utmost seriousness and will yield the expected results. The truth will be laid bare," he said.
Addressing the VHP's role in the Ram Temple, Kapil Khanna said that the organisation's responsibility was limited to spearheading the movement back in the 1980s and 1990s. He said that if the Trust constituted by the government requires any assistance, the VHP will provide it.
The VHP leader said, "The Margdarshak Mandal, which meets every six months, formulates policies and assigns tasks to the VHP. About 20 years after its inception, in 1984, the Margdarshak Mandal and revered saints entrusted the VHP with the responsibility of spearheading the Ram Mandir movement. Together with the entire Hindu community, we can say with satisfaction that we accomplished that task."
"The Supreme Court directed that a trust be formed to manage the project. The Government of India constituted the trust. It is the trust's responsibility to assess the situation and make any necessary adjustments to its operational methods...should they require our assistance at any point, we will certainly provide it. Beyond this, I do not see any specific role for the Vishwa Hindu Parishad at this juncture," he added.
Earlier, on Monday, a local court in Ayodhya remanded all eight 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.
Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case has been granted a 15-day extension to complete its investigation.