Lucknow/Ayodhya: International president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Alok Kumar has written to the investigating officer probing the alleged theft of offerings at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, urging that opposition leaders who have made public allegations on the issue should be summoned and asked to substantiate their claims.In a letter dated July 4 to Ayodhya DSP and investigating officer Ashutosh Tiwari, Kumar said the probe into the FIR lodged at Ram Janmabhoomi police station should examine statements made by politicians that were widely circulated in the public domain.The letter refers to statements by Samajwadi Party national general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav, Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and Congress’s Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.According to Kumar, Ram Gopal Yadav alleged that the scam was worth over Rs 20,000 crore and claimed that gold, silver, diamonds, cash and other offerings had gone missing, with influential people involved in the matter.Kumar also cited Kejriwal’s statements alleging that valuables, including Lord Ram’s ornaments, crowns, silver lamps and large amounts of cash, were stolen.He referred to Sanjay Singh’s claim that theft worth more than Rs 200 crore had taken place, and that more than 50 employees were involved. The letter noted that Singh reportedly appeared before the SIT and submitted documents related to his allegations concerning land purchases.Kumar also referred to Priyanka Gandhi’s remarks questioning whether lower-level employees alone could have carried out such a large-scale theft after allegedly switching off CCTV cameras or whether senior individuals were involved.Stating that the leaders had made specific allegations and, in some cases, cited precise figures regarding the alleged theft, Kumar said their statements suggested that they could possess information relevant to the investigation.He urged the investigating agency to summon them under the relevant legal provisions or record their statements so that they could disclose the basis of their allegations, the source of their information, and any documents or evidence in their possession.“If they provide credible material, it will help uncover the truth,” Kumar said, adding that if serious allegations were found to have been made without any factual basis, that too should form part of the investigation.He said that if allegations were made knowingly or recklessly without supporting evidence, the investigating agency could consider action as permitted under law.“No one should be allowed to make baseless allegations that promote hatred or enmity,” Kumar said, adding that in such a case, “the law should then take its own course.”
