SIT Lands Its First Big Catch in Lavkush Mishra
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) examining alleged irregularities in the donations given at Ayodhya's Ram Mandir has made its first major move by taking a man named Lavkush Mishra into custody. According to the investigators, a search of his house turned up Rs 10-12 lakh in cash. The recovery has made the case far more serious, and the SIT's inquiry will continue inside the Ram Mandir premises today as well.
Team Stayed On the Job Through the Night
Just how intensely the SIT is working becomes clear from the fact that the team remained inside the Ram Janmabhoomi complex until 11 pm late last night. The search operation on the premises ran for nearly 8 hours. Once it wrapped up, the members did not head back; instead they stayed put in Ayodhya and spent the night at the Saryu Atithi Grih. In this donation-box embezzlement case, the SIT will keep the investigation going today too.
Questions Over Gopal Rao's Repeated Summons
Gopal Rao is regarded as a key figure in the day-to-day running of the Ram Mandir. Maintenance, cleanliness, devotee facilities and the handling of donations are among the several major responsibilities that rest with him. That is precisely why his being called to the temple again and again during the probe has set off all kinds of talk and questions.
Akhilesh Yadav's Dig at the Government
Reacting to the formation of an SIT to probe the allegations of donation misuse, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took aim at the Uttar Pradesh government on Monday. Taking a jibe, he said it was unfortunate that the BJP government was busy setting up an SIT rather than building an IIT (Indian Institute of Technology). It is worth recalling that the Samajwadi Party was the first to raise this issue, doing so more than a week ago. The party branded it an insult to Sanatan Dharma and said it had hurt the sentiments of crores of Sanatanis around the world. Since then, Akhilesh Yadav and former minister Pawan Pandey, who hails from Ayodhya, have been raising the matter persistently and vocally.
On the other side, the BJP governments in UP and at the Centre have maintained silence on the whole affair. Meanwhile, Ram Mandir Tirth Kshetra Trust secretary Champat Rai offered a clarification, saying the donation accounts were being scrutinised and that so far nothing had come up that was "worth mentioning."
Assurances From the Trust and Administration
The state government says the SIT will carry out a comprehensive investigation and submit its report to the government. In the meantime, Ram Mandir construction committee chairman Nripendra Mishra assured on Monday that no laxity would be allowed at any stage of the probe. "The investigation has two dimensions, the criminal one and the one related to future improvements. Only when work is done on both aspects will we be able to further strengthen the devotees' faith," Mishra said. He added that the temple trust would extend full cooperation in the inquiry and that every possible assistance would be provided to the SIT. Mishra said he had spoken to the district administration about this on Sunday, and they had assured him of complete cooperation.
Minister Dayashankar Singh Stays Tight-Lipped
Elsewhere, Dayashankar Singh, the minister in charge of Mau district, held a press conference at the Mau district collectorate on Monday. When reporters asked him about the Ram Mandir donation theft case, he sidestepped the question and said he would not say anything on the matter.
How and On Whose Orders the SIT Was Formed
This Special Investigation Team was constituted on the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and at the request of the Trust. The Trust had described it as necessary "to stop misleading information and bring the truth to light," stating that attempts were being made to tarnish the image of the Ram Mandir. The SIT comprises Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General of Police (IG) Kiran S, and Special Secretary in the Finance Department Neel Ratan.
