''These people who were running the show at the Ram temple have something to hide, therefore they are not ready for a CBI investigation.'
Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday said the alleged embezzlement of donations to the Ram Temple at Ayodhya has pained devotees, but stressed strict action will be taken against those found guilty in the case.
As Ayodhya readies itself for the glittering, much-awaited consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir on January 22, and as millions of pilgrims and devotees pour into the holy city for the momentous event, companies are rushing to do their bit and be a part of the mega celebrations. Some are offering a part of their profits as donations, telcos are beefing up the number of cellular towers to ensure better connectivity, and there are those distributing jalebis and food platters.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has demanded the immediate disqualification of six party MPs who defected to the Eknath Shinde-led camp, alleging a larger political conspiracy. He accused the BJP of exploiting the Ram Mandir issue and systematically sidelining its own state leaders, while also questioning the rebel MPs' motives and wealth.
Opposition parties disrupted Lok Sabha proceedings on the opening day of the Monsoon Session, leading to multiple adjournments. Protests focused on the alleged NEET paper leak and Ram temple donation theft issues, with demands for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. The House was eventually adjourned for the day after repeated appeals for order failed.
Registration begins ahead of the Amarnath Yatra starting on July 3.
'I am the worker of RSS, and the RSS never condemned Bharat Jodo Yatra'
'What struck me at the time was simply the scale of it -- that something of this magnitude could be unfolding inside the Ram temple itself.' 'It was bewildering. And what troubled me further was the manner in which people were shielding it.'
Opposition MPs, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, staged a protest in the Parliament House complex against alleged donation theft at the Ram temple in Ayodhya and "police excesses" against student protesters. The INDIA bloc vowed to continue their agitation, demanding accountability from the government, particularly Home Minister Amit Shah, on these issues.
'It was Ramji's blessing that we got darshan.'
The RSS's annual Akhil Bharatiya Prant Pracharak Baithak in Belagavi addressed alleged irregularities in the counting of donation box offerings at the Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya, expressing confidence in the ongoing SIT probe. The meeting also reviewed training activities, centenary year programmes, and discussed critical issues such as population imbalance and drug abuse.
The trust members had earlier said they would be sending an official invite to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the event.
Uttar Pradesh DGP Rajeev Krishna stated that the state's law and order situation has significantly improved, with criminals losing their former confidence. He warned against anti-social elements using social media to intimidate and discussed ongoing probes into the Ayodhya Ram Mandir irregularities and the extradition of a drug trafficking kingpin. The DGP also highlighted the rising challenge of cybercrime and police efforts to combat it.
Lawyers of the Faizabad Bar Association on Thursday took out a protest march here and submitted a police complaint seeking an FIR against Ram Mandir Trust general secretary Champat Rai, trust member Anil Mishra and temple official Gopal Rao over alleged embezzlement of donation funds.
A primary school teacher, a former car mechanic, a retired bank employee and a trusted aide of a senior Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust functionary -- people from diverse backgrounds are among the eight arrested in connection with the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The investigation into alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya has broadened to include private security personnel. Around 400 guards are under scrutiny for their roles in managing entry, exit, and offerings, with police examining duty records, CCTV footage, and potential negligence or complicity in theft. This follows the arrest of eight individuals and the resignation of two trust members after a Special Investigation Team was formed.
'We should not underestimate the power of Hindutva.'
Addressing a public rally in Sabroom in poll-bound Tripura, Shah said that the Congress and the Communist Party of India-Marxist had put the Ram Mandir issue in the jurisdiction of the court for long, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for it after the Supreme Court's order.
At Ganesh Galli, one of Mumbai's oldest pandals, a team of more than 60 workers came together to create Ayodhya's Ram Mandir.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Dwarkapeeth Shankaracharya are at loggerheads over the issue of temple construction.
A crucial meeting of around 250 seers and VHP functionaries in Ayodhya will address issues concerning the Ram temple, including ensuring adherence to Vaishnav-Ramanandi traditions, restoring devotee confidence after an alleged donation theft, and deliberating on the Trust's management. The meeting follows deferred decisions by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on key appointments.
With the Bhoomi Pujan scheduled to be on August 5 and the who's who of Indian politics likely to make a visit in Ayodhya, the district administration has deployed hundreds of people for a beautification drive in the temple town. Roads, walls, streets are being painted, cleaned to give them a new refreshing look. Thousands of municipal workers have been deployed to do a cleanup drive in the town which will see visits of dignitaries on August 5. Take a look.
'But two things worked against them: People kept coming forward, and -- crucially -- these were not outsiders.'
On a day when Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was inducted into the Bharatiya Janata Party's Parliamentary Board, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's chief Mohan Bhagwat raked up the issue of Ram Mandir in Ahmedabad, expressing the desire to build a glorious 'Shree Ram Mandir'.
"We Ram-bhakts, today, as part of this programme, take this pledge that at the earliest, the Ram Mandir be constructed. Jai Shri Ram," the video showed him saying.
'I would like to leave behind my small contribution for the historic day when the Ram temple will be consecrated.'
The Supreme Court has declined an urgent hearing on a plea demanding a fair and time-bound investigation into alleged embezzlement of donations at the revered Ram temple in Ayodhya, deferring the matter until after the summer break.
Local legal practitioners in Ayodhya are considering a unanimous refusal to defend the eight individuals accused in the Ram temple donations embezzlement case. The Faizabad Bar Association is set to make a final decision, driven by strong local sentiment against the alleged theft of temple offerings.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday said he will attend the inauguration of the Ram temple at Ayodhya in January if he is invited to the programme.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded young Indian innovators for the country's first privately developed orbital rocket, Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1, which made India the third nation with private orbital launch capabilities. While praising the 28-year-old average age of the Skyroot team, Modi made a veiled remark about a "56-year-old young man," widely understood to be a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who recently turned 56.
The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has strongly criticised the Faizabad Bar Association's resolution to prevent advocates from representing those accused in the alleged theft of donations from the Ram Janmabhoomi temple, calling the move 'unethical and unlawful' and a violation of constitutional principles and professional ethics.
Govind Dev Giri Maharaj, treasurer of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, acknowledged supervisory lapses at the Ayodhya Ram temple following alleged donation theft, but stated he would not resign as he does not consider himself personally at fault. He estimated the theft could be around Rs 3 crore and criticised SBI for not verifying employee credentials.
A sales director, Md Mubashshir Abbas, has been arrested in New Delhi for allegedly ramming his SUV into a traffic policeman and fleeing the scene after being stopped for a violation. The incident, which occurred on June 10, led to a two-day manhunt by the Crime Branch, who eventually apprehended Abbas from his workplace. He reportedly confessed to intentionally striking the officer to evade checking while running late for work.
The bricks were sent by devotees of Lord Ram from around the world in 1989. There are 2,75,000 such bricks, out of which 100 bricks with 'Jai Shri Ram' engraving have been taken.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has not left issues like Ram Mandir, but the new generation in the party was laying more stress on economic issues and good governance, its President Nitin Gadkari has said.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating he needs to change his "dil ka angle" (heart's perspective) rather than camera angles to connect with Gen Z, following his Instagram outreach to student protesters. She also condemned the government's handling of student protests and the widespread issue of paper leaks.
The Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre which is completing one year in office should fulfil its commitment to construct Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and remove article 370 of the Constitution, the RSS said.
Modi's remarks came in response to President Droupadi Murmu's two-page letter to him ahead of the 'Pran Pratishtha' at the Ram temple.
Saisuresh Sivaswamy/Rediff.com captures glimpses of the activity around the Ram temple on his iPhone 14 Pro.
In the throes of a financial crisis, the state's ruling Congress government has little to be triumphant about as Assembly elections approach next year, points out Aditi Phadnis.
