Blurb: Political confrontation intensifies as Uttar Pradesh leaders clash over allegations involving donations at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple.
Lucknow
A political dispute over alleged irregularities involving donations at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple intensified on Wednesday after Uttar Pradesh Minister Dharampal Singh questioned how Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav first became aware of the allegations. The minister called for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) inquiry not only into the alleged embezzlement but also into the source of the information cited by the opposition leader.
The controversy began after Akhilesh Yadav, on June 7, became one of the first senior political leaders to publicly raise allegations regarding the alleged misuse of donations made by devotees at the Ram Temple. In a post on social media, he demanded a judicial investigation into the matter and called for transparency in handling temple funds.
The issue resurfaced after Yadav accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh of attempting to divert public attention from the allegations. In a strongly worded post, he claimed that the ruling party was engaging in childish antics instead of addressing concerns related to the alleged misuse of donations.
Yadav alleged that the controversy surrounding temple offerings had exposed what he described as serious shortcomings within the BJP. He accused the party of attempting to shift public focus away from the allegations and asserted that such actions were increasing public dissatisfaction with the ruling party. He further launched a sharp political attack, claiming that the BJP had lost its moral standing and was struggling to deal with the fallout from the controversy.
Responding to these remarks, Dharampal Singh questioned Yadav’s claims and challenged him to explain how he had obtained information about the alleged irregularities before anyone else. Speaking to reporters, the minister alleged that Yadav had rarely visited Ayodhya for religious purposes and suggested that the origin of the information deserved equal scrutiny.