Will respond to charges after SIT submits final report: Champat Rai

Ayodhya: Breaking silence over temple donation theft controversy, former general secretary of the Ram Temple Trust and international vice-president of the Vishva Hindu Parishad, Champat Rai, on Tuesday said that he would respond to the charges levelled against him only after the special investigation team submits its report.In an open letter to Lord Ram’s devotees, Rai said, “News reports related to donation theft from ‘hundis’ of the temple surfaced for the first time on June 7. Several people have been levelling baseless and unverified allegations against me, but I decided to remain silent.”“I will respond to all the charges levelled against me only after the SIT submits its final report,” he said.While Rai posted the letter on his social media accounts, the press communications team managing the publicity of the religious events taking place inside the Ram temple also shared the same post on WhatsApp group around 6.15 pm.The preliminary findings of the SIT report were submitted to the Trust during its meeting on Monday.“Though the report was extremely confidential, somehow it has become public. Once the final report is submitted, I assure you all that I would respond and explain everything so that the truth comes out in public domain,” Rai said.“I have dedicated 45 years of my life as a ‘pracharak’ and have been in Ayodhya since Oct 1991.

Wherever I have worked, my tenure has been like an open book,” he said.Investigations by the SIT and the police have revealed several loopholes in the management of Ram temple donation.Accepting the resignations of Champat Rai and Anil Mishra, the Ram Temple Trust on Monday appointed another Trust member Krishna Mohan as interim general secretary.