- The whole country is aware of how the establishment of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir eventually fructified, especially after waiting for decades and battling it out in the Supreme Court since the Babri Masjid was demolished in the 1990s. We know how the prolonged battle panned out. The premise that the Ram Mandir existed in the disputed place where the Babri Masjid came up later led the highest court of the land to rule in favour of the former. As the events leading up to the ruling clearly suggest, not only were precious lives lost for the cause but also completely altered the political equation of the country. The BJP, riding on the then leader Lal Krishna Advani’s Rath Yatra, gained tremendous traction surrounding the demand for Ram Mandir, which is well known.
PC: The Wire
- That the BJP could succeed in garnering epochal attention courtesy of the Rath Yatra meant the seeds of eventual transformation of the political landscape in the coming decades were sown in the 1990s. As we know, the Ayodhya Ram Temple was built on a war footing soon after the Supreme Court paved the way for the construction to kick-start. Donations from around the country and the world poured in from devotees who were passionately invested in ensuring that the Ram Mandir not only received the desired funds but also became a sacred and revered place of worship that would be on par with some of the other religious places of repute. Religious tourism ensured that economic activity in the region picked up pace too. None questioned.
PC: Navbharat Times
- Varanasi, Gaya, Ayodhya, and Prayagraj seamlessly emerged as the must-visit places for the devotees thronging in droves to soak in the religious fervour. The Kumbh Mela and consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir were hugely attended/witnessed events, further lending a boost to the region’s religious centers gaining unprecedented prominence. When everything appeared to be running smoothly, came the news that devotees’ offerings in cash were being siphoned off by people entrusted with the task of counting money. A major embezzlement scandal has unfolded since then, with the investigations revealing funds were siphoned off systematically from the temple’s donation boxes. This must have come as a rude shock to the millions of Ram devotees.
PC: DT Next
- As reported extensively, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Uttar Pradesh government has arrested eight individuals, including temple counting staff. Authorities have recovered approximately Rs. 80 lakh in cash, along with gold, foreign currency, and documents related to properties purchased with the stolen funds. It’s disgusting and utterly condemnable even to think that anybody could indulge in stealing money from such a revered place of worship, completely disrespecting the sentiments/emotions of the scores of devotees. Needless to mention, whoever is involved in the crime must be identified, charges filed, and punished as per the law of the land to set a precedent and deterrence to preempt any future indiscretions. A watertight security system to count offerings should be introduced forthwith as well.
