'Ram temple offering scam probe insult to Sanatan Dharma'

Agra: A day after Uttar Pradesh govt formed a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe allegations of irregularities in offerings and donations at Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday criticised the move, calling it an "insult to Sanatan Dharma" and questioning whether officials would now investigate priests at one of the country's most revered temples.Speaking to reporters during his visit to Agra, the Kannauj MP said the issue should have been handled within the religious establishment. "It is very unfortunate that officials have to now investigate priests in Ram Mandir. It is an insult to Sanatan Dharma that such a prestigious temple has to be probed," Akhilesh said, adding, "If anything has happened with the offerings made to Lord Shri Ram, Maryada Purushottam Ram, then switch off the cameras, sit together and talk among yourselves, and with the cameras turned off and eyes closed, return whatever offering was stolen.

Lord Shri Ram will forgive them. But tell me, will officials investigate the priests of our deity? No follower of Sanatan Dharma can accept this."The controversy gained political attention after allegations surfaced that money from donation boxes at Ram temple complex had gone missing, triggering a debate over transparency and management of temple offerings.Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust later sought an independent inquiry to establish facts and counter what it described as misinformation aimed at tarnishing the temple's image, following which UP govt formed the SIT comprising Lucknow divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, inspector general of police Kiran S and finance department special secretary Neel Ratan.

The panel has been asked to conduct a detailed investigation and submit a preliminary report within seven days and final findings within 15 days. Temple trust has denied wrongdoing and maintained that routine audits had not found irregularities, while officials linked to the trust said the request for an SIT inquiry was made to remove doubts and address the public controversy around the allegations. Ram Temple Construction Committee has welcomed the govt's decision.