Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (NJC)
Mangaluru, Jul 15: Alleging that the Ram Temple hundi theft has shaken the faith of millions of devotees, KPCC Campaign Committee chairman and former minister Vinay Kumar Sorake on Wednesday accused the RSS, VHP and BJP of betraying public trust.
Speaking at a meeting of the District Congress campaign committee workers at the Congress office in Mallikatte, Mangaluru, Sorake said the alleged theft at the Ram Temple had deeply hurt the sentiments of crores of Lord Ram's devotees.
He questioned the silence of central investigative agencies, including the Income Tax Department, Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), over the issue. Sorake further alleged that the theft had been committed by trustees appointed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he referred to as the "chowkidar".
He also criticised the Prime Minister for not mentioning the alleged Ram Temple hundi theft in his Mann Ki Baat programme.
Addressing the gathering, District Congress campaign committee vice-chairman Sudhir Kumar Maroli said the party had launched a voter awareness campaign with the message that "those who could steal from Lord Ram's hundi could also take away your voting rights," urging people to remain vigilant during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Maroli further alleged that the Prime Minister's Office had a direct connection to the issue, claiming that members of the Ram Temple trust were associated with the RSS and BJP. He accused them of misappropriating money, gold and silver offerings made by devotees and criticised BJP leaders for maintaining silence over the matter.
During the programme, appointment letters were distributed to newly appointed office-bearers of the District Congress Campaign Committee.
Former MLA J R Lobo, Dakshina Kannada District Congress president Harish Kumar, MUDA chairman Sadashiva Ullal, Shalet Pinto, Shashidhara Hegde, Mohammed Ali, Subhash Chandra Shetty, T.K. Sudhir, Shubhodaya Alva, Abdul Saleem, Chetan Bengre and several other Congress leaders were present.