Priyanka asks Modi to make temple trust spending public

After the controversy erupted on the issue of land purchase by Shri Ram Mandir trust, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday said that it has hurt the people's faith and demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi give the details of the money spent as the trust was formed by him. She also demanded a Supreme Court monitored probe in the alleged land deal.

In a Facebook post in Hindi, Priyanka Gandhi, who is in-charge of the Uttar Pradesh Congress said, "According to news reports there have been irregularities in buying land. On March 18, two people bought land in Ayodhya for Rs 2 crore. And within five minutes the land was bought by the Shri Ram Mandir Trust which was formed by the Prime Minister for Rs 18.5 crore."

She said that it means the value of land increased by Rs 5.5 lakh per second. "Can anyone imagine and believe this? Not to be forgotten, the entire money belongs to the people of the country who donated for the construction of Ram temple," she said.

She also said that in the sale deed of the land and registry papers, most of the names in the column of witnesses were common. Priyanka Gandhi said, "One of the witnesses is one of the Trustees of the Ram Mandir Trust (who is a former member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) and another one is a BJP leader and mayor of Ayodhya," she said.

She further stated that the statement from the Shri Ram Trust claimed that the rate of land increased and it was the reason why a whopping amount was paid. As per the reports the value of land is around Rs five crore as per the existing circle rate, she claimed.

She also cited several media reports and said that the Chairperson of the Ram Mandir Trust Nritya Gopal Das made allegations of no transparency in the functioning of the Trust. Priyanka Gandhi said that people of the country donated for the construction of the Ram temple. Several women also donated their savings for the construction.

"No one touches the money donated by people in the name of God. In those donations the faith, devotion, belief and trust is there," she said. "The Shri Ram Mandir Trust was formed by Modi and many of the members of the trust are close to him. And it is the responsibility of the Prime Minister to assure that the money donated by people for the temple is utilised for the temple and religious works and not in any scams," Priyanka Gandhi said.

Finding an opportunity in faith is a blot on the belief of the crores of people, she said. "The Shri Ram temple trust was formed on the directions of the Supreme Court. And on behalf of the people of the country, we demand a Supreme Court monitored probe into the land deal," the Congress leader added.

Earlier, Champat Rai, the general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, issued a statement amid the allegations of corruption in the purchase of the Ram temple land. He said that the trust is working to provide the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple a grand look according to Vastu Shastra, to make the complex safe in all respects and convenient for the visitors.

He said that important temples/places falling within the boundary of the construction wall and retaining wall in the east and west part of this temple have been purchased with mutual consent. The statement also said that it has been the decision that every institution/person displaced in this process will be rehabilitated. The selection of land for rehabilitation is being done with the consent of the concerned institutions/individuals.

Under this process 1.20 hectares of land located at Bagh Bijesi, Ayodhya has been purchased with complete transparency and with the consent of important temples like Kaushalya Sadan, etc. It is worth noting that the above-mentioned land is on a prime location situated on the route near Ayodhya Railway Station, the statement further said.