Ayodhya, July 6 (IANS) Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj, treasurer of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, sharply criticised political figures whom he accused of attempting to exploit the ongoing controversy surrounding the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Mandir.
In his recent remarks, the senior Trust official accused certain leaders of showing sudden "Ram bhakti" for political mileage, despite their past actions and alleged lack of faith in Lord Ram.
Addressing the donation theft allegations, Swami Govind Dev Giri made a veiled attack, saying that those who once authorised firing on Kar Sevaks (Ram bhakts) are now portraying themselves as devotees of Lord Ram.
He highlighted what he described as the irony of the situation, stating that generations of such individuals never had faith in Lord Ram and routinely attended "iftar" parties instead of showing any association with Ram bhakti.
He said he smelt a rat in the sudden display of "Ram bhakti" by some people, alleging that they had conspired to create an atmosphere against Hindutva.
According to him, several such individuals have emerged from hibernation to engineer anarchy in the country.
"These people never took the name of Lord Ram, never had faith in Ram, and their generations were never associated with Ram bhakti. Yet now they are showing bhakti only to gain political advantage from the Ayodhya controversy," he remarked.
The treasurer's comments come at a time when the Trust is navigating intense scrutiny following the reported embezzlement of devotees' offerings, which has led to the resignations of senior functionaries, including former General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra.
The Trust has appointed retired IFS officer Krishna Mohan as interim General Secretary to restore administrative credibility.
Swami Govind Dev Giri emphasised that the Trust remains focused on transparency and the proper utilisation of funds for the temple's development.
He reiterated that the sacred offerings of millions of devotees must be protected from any misuse.
The Uttar Pradesh SIT continues its investigation into the theft case, which has already resulted in multiple arrests.
The Trust has maintained that it received over Rs 3,200 crore in donations, much of which has been used for temple construction, while strongly condemning any internal lapses.
--IANS
sktr/pgh
