New Delhi, July 17: The Congress on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced in Parliament the setting up of the Ram temple trust whose activities have resulted in “aastha dhoka (betrayal of faith)”, and demanded that he must break his silence on the issue of alleged donation theft on the floor of the House.
Speaking ahead of Parliament’s Monsoon Session, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the PM created the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust through an announcement in Parliament and it is only appropriate that he takes the two Houses into confidence on what has happened.
“On February 5, 2020, the prime minister himself got up in the Lok Sabha, one of those rare occasions when he comes to Parliament. He came to Parliament to make the announcement that his government was setting up the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust,” Ramesh said.
The Trust was set up by the prime minister and it comprises people appointed by him, Ramesh said, adding the Trust’s activities, its functions, its terms of reference were given by Modi.
“It is this Trust that has betrayed the faith of crores of Indians. There has been ‘chanda chori, aastha dhoka’ by the activities of this Trust,” Ramesh alleged.
“So the prime minister must break his silence on the floor of the House. He created this Trust through an announcement on the 5th of February 2020. It’s only appropriate that he takes Parliament into confidence. What has happened? How has this ‘chanda chori, aastha dhoka’ taken place in the Trust that he himself took great pride in creating,” the Congress leader said.
SIT to submit probe report on Monday
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple may submit an interim report to the Supreme Court on Monday in compliance with the apex court’s directions, sources said on Friday.
Trust holds purification ritual to ‘atone’ for donation ‘embezzlement’
Ayodhya is not new to rituals, but what makes an ongoing 10-day purification ritual organised by the Ram temple trust unique is that it is meant to “atone” for the recent donation “theft” and “seek forgiveness” from the god.
A brainchild of Govind Dev Giri, the treasurer of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, the purification ritual that began on Wednesday involves the recitation of the Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra — chanting 1,000 different names of Lord Vishnu, a ritual Hindus believe ushers in positivity, prosperity and good luck — by the gurukuls of Ayodhya. “Following the theft of offerings, the trust has initiated a special 10-day ritual for atonement and purification across the temple premises and various gurukuls to restore the temple’s sanctity and dignity,” Giri said. (PTI)
