Brother Defends Champat Rai Amid Allegations
The brother of Champat Rai, who resigned as general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, defended him on Monday against allegations of embezzling donations for the Ram temple. Sunil Bansal, a resident of Nagina in Bijnor district, told PTI that Rai had sacrificed both his personal life and career for the Ram temple movement and national service.
Rai's Dedication to RSS and Ram Temple Movement
Bansal emphasized that Rai had dedicated his entire life to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Ram temple movement, and national service. He described the allegations as politically motivated, asserting that Rai had given up everything for these causes.
According to Bansal, Rai worked as a teacher in Rohtak in 1970-71 before becoming a physics lecturer at RSM Degree College in Dhampur in 1972. During the Emergency, police tried to arrest him while he was teaching, but he later surrendered at the local police station. Rai resigned from his teaching position in 1980-81 to devote himself fully to the RSS.
Allegations and Resignation
Following allegations of large-scale embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple, questions arose regarding Champat Rai's involvement, prompting his resignation from the trust. The allegations have sparked controversy, with the Faizabad Bar Association demanding that Rai, along with Anil Mishra and Gopal Rao—associated with the temple management but not named as accused in any FIR—must leave Ayodhya.
Lawyers' Ultimatum
Earlier on Monday, the Faizabad Bar Association warned that if the trio did not leave Ayodhya within three days, the entire city would be blockaded and no one would be allowed to enter. The Bar said it would seek registration of an FIR against them under BNSS Section 156(3), which empowers a magistrate to order police investigation of a cognizable offence if police have not acted on a complaint.
