Jairam Ramesh Accuses BJP of Rushing to End Ram Mandir Theft Probe
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accuses the Modi government of rushing to close the Ram Mandir donation theft investigation and shielding high-level suspects.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has launched a scathing attack on the Modi government, alleging a deliberate attempt to stall and prematurely conclude the investigation into the theft of offerings at the Ayodhya Ram Temple. The senior leader claimed that the probe has failed to reach the individuals suspected of shielding the thieves and questioned why the government seems in such a hurry to close the case.
Allegations of High-Level Protection
Taking to social media platform X, Ramesh raised serious questions regarding the nature of the investigation. He pointed out that while the government frequently uses agencies like the ED and CBI against opposition leaders, it appears "lenient" when it comes to the 105 recorded incidents of theft at the holy site.
"Modi ji, the government doesn't hesitate to misuse ED and CBI against opposition leaders, but after 105 incidents of offering thefts were captured on CCTV, why hasn't the investigation reached those suspected of shielding the thieves?" Ramesh asked, demanding to know why key figures like Champat Rai and Anil Mishra are being treated as witnesses rather than being investigated as accused.
The 21-Day Mystery and Missing Funds
The Congress leader highlighted a suspicious timeline in the legal proceedings. He noted that while the video of the stolen amount reached Champat Rai on June 4 and CCTV footage was reviewed on June 5, the FIR was not filed until June 25. Ramesh demanded to know why the truth behind this 21-day delay has not been presented to the nation.
He further questioned the scale of the recovery, noting that only Rs 79.85 lakh has been recovered despite the high number of theft incidents. "Was the investigation's goal merely to catch petty offering thieves, or to hold accountable those under whose patronage and watch this all continued?" he questioned.
Details of the SIT Chargesheet
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has filed a chargesheet in the local court, which identifies eight accused individuals based on CCTV footage, mobile chats, and Call Detail Records (CDRs). The investigation details a pattern of systematic theft during the counting process:
- Avinash Shukla: Allegedly removed donation money on 85 separate occasions.
- Lavkush Mishra: Allegedly removed money once and assisted in theft on 52 occasions.
- Anukalp Mishra: Allegedly assisted in the removal of money 56 times.
- Manish Kumar Yadav: Allegedly involved 16 times and assisted 19 times.
- Rama Shankar Mishra: A retired bank employee allegedly seen removing money once.
While the SIT has listed approximately 98 witnesses, including former officials, the Congress party continues to demand an independent and impartial probe under the supervision of the Supreme Court to ensure the full truth is revealed.
VHP Maintains Investigation is Complete
In contrast to the Congress allegations, Alok Kumar, the International President of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), has maintained that the investigation is complete. According to the VHP, the probe has found no wrongdoing beyond the theft of the offerings themselves.
As the political storm intensifies, Jairam Ramesh concluded by warning that the "arrogance of power is self-destructive," calling on Prime Minister Modi to break his silence on a matter that touches the deep faith of millions of citizens.