UP Minister Dharampal Singh questions Akhilesh Yadav's source on Ram Temple donation 'theft'

Lucknow, July 15 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Minister Dharampal Singh on Wednesday questioned Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav's source "who first informed him" about the alleged embezzlement of donations made at Ayodhya's Ram Temple and urged for a probe into it by a Special Investigation Team (SIT). 

The SP Chief was the first prominent political leader who raised the donation "theft" row through a social media post on June 7, where he had demanded for a judicial probe into the allegations.

Minister Dharampal Singh's reaction comes a day after Akhilesh Yadav accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh of "diverting the public's attention and resorting to childish antics".

In a post on X, Akhilesh Yadav said: "After the theft of ‘offerings-donations-charity’ came to light, the BJP has become frantic. To divert the public's attention, it is resorting to childish antics. This is only fueling the growing anger among the people against the BJP members and their associates. The pettiness of the BJP's negative mindset is increasing day by day."

"As a party, the BJP no longer has any soul left. Innumerable incurable wounds of 'religion-wealth theft' have emerged on its body. The BJP has descended into political delirium. Everyone is busy trying to save themselves. The BJP is finished!" he remarked.

Hitting back at the SP Chief, Minister Dharampal Singh said: "Akhilesh Yadav has actually never visited Ayodhya for 'darshan'. He has never gone to the Ram Janmabhoomi or visited the Ram Temple. Even some of his (party's) MLAs have visited, but he himself did not go to Ayodhya for 'darshan'. Akhilesh Yadav was the first to raise this issue, so this should also be investigated -- who were the sources that informed him about it first?"

"This proves that something is definitely wrong and this, too, should be probed by the SIT," he told IANS.

Minister Dharampal Singh accused Akhilesh Yadav of attempting to gain the votes of a particular community, "through Muslim appeasement".

"He (Akhilesh Yadav) is doing politics on this (Ram temple donation theft row) and is actually not concerned about donation theft. He (Akhilesh Yadav) is only concerned about winning Muslim votes," the Uttar Pradesh Minister remarked.

Uttar Pradesh Minister Sanjay Nishad called Akhilesh Yadav's remarks "baseless".

"This is the reason they (Samajwadi Party) are out of power. The accused who were involved in the irregularities in Ayodhya will face action and not those who made the (Ram) temple or the devotees," he told IANS.

Minister Nishad added: "They (Opposition) can keep shouting as much as they want, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has assured that the guilty will be punished and action is being taken against the accused. People know that."