Jairam Ramesh questions delay in Ayodhya temple theft chargesheet, seeks action against 'Big Fish'

New Delhi, Sep 22 (UNI) Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday questioned the delay in filing a chargesheet in the alleged theft of offerings at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, saying nearly three months after the investigation began, the accused were yet to face prosecution.

In a statement posted on X under the heading "Chanda Chori, Aastha Dhokha" (Donation Theft, Betrayal of Faith), Ramesh said only three days were left for three months to be completed since the investigation began, but the chargesheet had still not been filed. He warned that failure to file the chargesheet by September 25 could enable the accused he described as the "minor players" to secure bail. Ramesh called the alleged theft of temple offerings one of the country's most shameful cases involving an institution of religious faith. "Dekho o BJP walo, tum ye kaam na karo, Ram ka naam badnaam na karo, badnaam na karo!" he said.

Ramesh also questioned the credibility of the Special Investigation Team probing the case, saying people would have little confidence in an investigation or government chargesheet if there remained a possibility of the "big fish" being protected. He claimed that the investigation had now acknowledged that the alleged theft of offerings had been captured on CCTV on 105 occasions, rather than 70 instances cited earlier. "It is not difficult to understand why there is a delay in filing the chargesheet. The issue is to divert attention from the big thieves and their protectors," Ramesh alleged.

The Congress leader asked who was protecting the alleged masterminds behind what he described as a systematic theft of offerings at the Ram temple and why the "big fish" had not yet faced action or stringent questioning. Ramesh also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence over the matter, alleging that questions were being raised about the alleged assistance provided to those accused in the case. "Why has no action been taken against the big fish in the case? When will they be subjected to stringent questioning?" he asked. He further questioned why there was resistance to an investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court and why the temple trust had not been dissolved.

Ramesh alleged that the SIT investigation was being used by BJP-led governments to protect those accused of the alleged theft who, he claimed, had links with the BJP and RSS. He said accountability should extend beyond the accused to those responsible for supervising the system under which the alleged irregularities took place. "Prime Minister ji, remember that you will have to answer for your silence on this serious matter concerning the faith of the country," Ramesh said. The Congress demanded a forensic audit of the entire system, strict action against those found responsible and a transparent investigation.

Ramesh said the offerings had been made in the name of Lord Ram and argued that those who had claimed credit for overseeing the temple's management and the selection of its managers would also have to accept responsibility for any wrongdoing established in the case. The allegations relate to the handling and management of offerings made at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The claims regarding the number of CCTV-recorded incidents, the alleged involvement or protection of other individuals and the responsibility of officials remain matters for investigation and judicial determination.

UNI SKA ARN