AAP National Convenor and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal visited Ayodhya on Friday, offering prayers at Hanuman Garhi and the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple amid a controversy over alleged donation irregularities at the temple trust.
Kejriwal alleges 'massive robbery' at Ram Temple
Addressing a press conference alongside Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, Kejriwal claimed that a 'massive robbery' had taken place at the Shri Ram Temple and accused those responsible of being protected. He asserted that people across the country believe justice will only be served when the 'bigwigs' involved in the alleged scam receive the death penalty.
Targets BJP over trust management
Kejriwal targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), stating that the party created the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and handpicked its General Secretary, Champat Rai. He questioned why no FIR had been registered against Rai if any wrongdoing occurred, alleging that only lower-level individuals were being targeted while higher-ups were shielded.
FIR called an 'eyewash'
The AAP leader further alleged that the FIR registered in connection with the donation scam was merely an eyewash. He claimed that such a large-scale scam could not have been carried out solely by junior employees over a long period and asserted that links extended to higher levels. He accused authorities of attempting to protect influential individuals while placing blame on lower-level staff.
Kejriwal invokes Lord Ram's exile
Kejriwal said that Lord Ram, obeying his father Maharaja Dasharatha's command, renounced power and accepted a 14-year exile. 'It is by invoking the name of that very epitome of righteousness, Shri Ram, that the donation-thief party came to power, and no sooner had it ascended than it made the Ram Mandir a victim of its lust for money,' he said.
Rituals and blessings at Hanuman Garhi
According to the AAP, Kejriwal performed worship and rituals at Hanuman Garhi and received blessings from saints. Sharing his experience after visiting the Ram Temple, he described the occasion as a matter of immense fortune and said the grand temple is a symbol of the faith and pride of crores of Hindus.
