RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday gave his first public reaction to the controversy surrounding the alleged embezzlement of donations meant for the Ram temple in Ayodhya, responding with a brief "Ram-Ram" when asked whether attempts were being made to undermine devotees' faith in Lord Ram.
Bhagwat made the remark while speaking to reporters in Nagpur before moving on without elaborating. His response came a day after RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said the alleged embezzlement had "deeply hurt" the faith of Ram devotees and demanded stringent punishment for those found guilty.
In a statement on Friday, Hosabale said the RSS was "extremely pained and angered" by the alleged incident and urged the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case to ensure those responsible were brought to justice. He also alleged that "anti-Hindu and anti-national forces" were attempting to exploit the controversy to malign Hindu dharma and appealed to devotees to remain patient and restrained.
Also read: Highly condemnable: RSS breaks silence on Ram Mandir donation row
Hosabale further said the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust should treat the matter as extraordinary and take effective corrective measures to address shortcomings in the temple's management. He called for a thorough investigation to remove uncertainty surrounding the case.
The probe has gathered pace, with eight people arrested so far. They include six outsourced employees engaged in counting devotees' offerings, Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu, a close aide of Trust general secretary Champat Rai, and Avinash Shukla.
Uttar Pradesh Police on Friday secured 24-hour custody of Shukla for recoveries, reconstruction of events and verification of fresh leads, while the state government's SIT continues its parallel investigation into the financial and administrative functioning of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
The alleged embezzlement of donations has sparked widespread political and public debate, with demands for greater transparency and accountability in the management of one of the country's most prominent religious institutions. The outcome of the ongoing SIT and police investigations is expected to determine whether further arrests and administrative action will follow.
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