Lucknow, 15 July (HS): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi

Adityanath said on Wednesday that the alleged theft of funds at the Ram temple

had harmed devotees' confidence, but the Opposition's attempt to discredit

Ayodhya and Ram Janmabhoomi was unjustified. Adiyanath, while speaking at a

media gathering, also launched a scathing assault on opposition parties,

notably the Samajwadi Party, accusing them of politicizing religious issues

despite their track record.

The Ayodhya event has undoubtedly harmed our faith and that of other Ram

believers. The Ram Temple Trust is an autonomous entity, and the government has

no ability to intervene with its business. The trust demanded an inquiry, and

the state government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT). As soon as the

SIT report arrived, action was taken, he stated.

The Chief Minister stated that six persons who were

reportedly involved in stealing had been apprehended, as well as two others

accused of supporting them. Along with the arrests, two resignations have

occurred on moral reasons - former Trust general secretary Champat Rai and

trustee Anil Mishra. However, exploiting this tragedy to discredit Ayodhya, Ram

Janmabhoomi, and Hindu faith is unjustified, he said.

The suspected misappropriation of Ram temple donations came to light in the

first week of June, prompting the Uttar Pradesh government to form a Special

Investigation Team. An FIR was filed on June 25 based on the SIT's preliminary

findings. So far, eight people have been detained in connection with the

temple's donation-counting procedure.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi