In a counter attack, Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel demanded that the BJP give an account of the money it has collected in the name of Ram temple construction in Ayodhya – whose foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August – when a BJP leader asked the state government to donate Rs 101 crore for the temple if the grand old party “had faith in Lord Ram”.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, tasked with building a grand new ram temple, will raise over Rs 713.45 crore through coupons for the construction of the Ram temple.
“Pahele to ye batayein ki jo shila pujan kiye aur paise le gaye the uska hisaab kya hai…matlab ye dhandha hee bana liye hain kya (They should first give the account of money they had collected after performing ‘shila pujan’ ( laying foundation stone) in the past. Have they made it business?),” asked CM Baghel during a press conference on Sunday while replying to BJP MLA Brijmohan Agrawal’s demand for Rs 101 crore for temple donation.
The CM further said that in 1992 the BJP had performed shila pujan and collected funds in crores. The BJP, the CM said, should answer how that money was used.
“How much money and bricks were collected for building the Ram temple? Its accounts should be disclosed,” the CM asked.
Reacting to the CM’s statement, Agarwal said that the Congress has no right to raise questions on the Ram Mandir account because they have made no contribution in the temple construction.
Senior BJP leader and former minister Rajesh Munat said that the Vishva Hindu Parishad has all records of donations made towards temple construction in Ayodhya.
“Congress party should look into their own history and should make public the funds which they have raised through various means… The people of Chhattisgarh are suffering… This government has not done a single work in the last two years and they are continuously boasting about their achievement,” said Munat.
On November 9, 2019, the Supreme Court had ruled in favour of Ram mandir ending decades-old Ayodhya title dispute.
