Ram temple donations case
Ayodhya, June 28: The accused in the Ayodhya Ram temple donations case are unlikely to find lawyers in Ayodhya for their defence, according to local legal practitioners.
The final decision about the unanimous refusal to take up their case will be taken in the general body meeting of the Faizabad Bar Association, expected to take place on Monday, Kalika Mishra, president of the association, said on Sunday.
A similar decision was taken by the lawyers from Ayodhya back in 2005 when those accused of a terrorist attack at the Ram temple were produced before a Faizabad court.
Advocates of the Faizabad Bar Association are angry over the alleged theft of offerings at the temple and have united in the demand for stern action against all eight accused, lawyers from the city said.
Bar Association secretary Shailendra Jaiswal said, “Our sentiments have been hurt by the theft of temple offerings. The lawyers of Faizabad have agreed not to plead on behalf of the arrested accused. In this matter, a decision will be taken by the Bar Association president and the general body of the Bar. After this, the further strategy will be prepared.”
Police on Sunday conducted simultaneous raids at the residences of all eight people arrested in connection with the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple, police sources said.
Police teams, accompanied by local magistrates, carried out searches at the homes of the accused, including Lavkush Mishra, Avinash Shukla and Ramashankar Yadav, the sources said.
The raids came two days after all eight accused were remanded in judicial custody till June 29 by a court in Ayodhya. Police are expected to seek their custodial remand when they are produced before the court on Monday.
Akhilesh Yadav targets BJP
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday attacked the BJP regarding the alleged Ram Temple donation embezzlement case, claiming that the party was using religion as a cover.
“Samajwadi people want Sanatan Dharma to be protected, but an entire business is being run under the guise of Sanatan Dharma,” Yadav said at a press conference here.
He said the “BJP should rename itself ‘BhaChPa’ – Chaturai (cleverness), Chanda (donation), Chori (theft) and Chaalbaazi (deceit)”.
He said in the “BJP’s dictionary, neither religion nor shame remains. Their priority is not religion, but money. For them, it is not ‘Nation First’ but ‘Donation First’”.
Referring to the alleged Ram Temple donation embezzlement case, Yadav said, “Who could have imagined such a huge betrayal of faith? CCTV footage shows how many times the cameras were switched off. What more needs to be said?”
He predicted defeat for the BJP in the next Assembly elections and said, “The BJP will get neither donations, nor offerings, nor votes. In 2027, a Samajwadi Party government will be formed with the PDA alliance.”
He said, “Those who falsely accused everyone else of theft have now had their own theft exposed by God. What could be more shameful? At a place as sacred as Ayodhya, they have stolen donations meant for God.”
Meawhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday challenged Akhilesh Yadav to openly support a movement for the “liberation” of the Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura, similar to the Ram Janmabhoomi campaign, while attacking him over his remarks on Ayodhya.
Adityanath’s remarks came after Yadav said people’s faith has been played with in view of the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Yadav said if his party is voted to power, they would develop Ayodhya into an “inimitable” sacred city. (PTI)
