Public Works and Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh on Friday demanded a thorough inquiry, headed by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court, into the alleged Ram Mandir donation scam. Singh, the only leader from Himachal Pradesh to attend the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, made the demand while addressing the media in Shimla.
Call for impartial probe
Singh asserted that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) could not be trusted for a fair investigation. "CBI is their parrot cage, so a fair and impartial probe is necessary. We will request the Congress central leadership to demand a probe, headed by a Supreme Court judge so that everyone gets to know the exact extent of the theft into donations made by devotees," Singh said. He emphasized that only a Supreme Court-monitored inquiry would ensure transparency and uncover the full scale of the alleged scam.
Personal faith and political stance
Singh, who is the son of six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, reiterated his deep faith in Lord Ram and clarified that he attended the consecration ceremony as a devotee, not as a Congress leader. "Both my father and I have profound faith in Lord Ram. My father had also contributed to the construction of the temple," Singh stated. He added that his presence at the event was a personal religious gesture, separate from his political affiliation.
Allegations against BJP and saffron-clad leaders
Singh launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and saffron-clad leaders, accusing them of exploiting religion for personal gain. "The saffron robed and BJP leaders who have not even spared Lord Ram, will they spare the people of Himachal? People are seeing how Ram Bhakts have become lootere and did not even spare Lord Ram," he alleged. He claimed that the scam involved not just cash donations but also land purchases worth crores of rupees.
Scale of the scam
According to Singh, there have been irregularities involving Rs 5 to 10 crore in donations, apart from the purchase of land worth crores of rupees. He suggested that the alleged scam was much larger than what had been revealed so far. "The exact extent of the theft needs to be uncovered, and only a Supreme Court judge-led probe can do that," Singh said. He urged the Congress leadership to take up the matter at the national level to ensure a fair investigation.
