Theft of offerings in Ayodhya has deeply hurt faith, accountability must be ensured: Naresh Chauhan

Addressing reporters here today, Chief Minister’s Principal Advisor (Media) Naresh Chauhan said that the corruption exposed in the Ayodhya Ram Temple offerings case, and the suspicious role of the BJP and its affiliated organizations, is extremely unfortunate. He said that the BJP has always sought to further its political agenda by hiding behind the slogan “Jai Shri Ram” and invoking the name of Lord Shri Ram. In the offering theft case, some greedy individuals, supported by political backing under BJP rule, have deeply hurt public faith and committed an act that shames humanity.
He said that this case concerns the sentiments of 1.5 billion Indians. An examination of 40 days of video footage revealed that 70 thefts were committed in 40 days. This clearly demonstrates how fearless the gang of thieves was because they enjoyed political patronage. He demanded that the case be investigated under the supervision of Supreme Court or High Court judges.
Naresh Chauhan said that when even offerings are being stolen, it’s beyond imagination how the donations collected during construction must have been plundered. He said that everyone knows who selected the trustees and which party they were loyal to, so they are held accountable. He said that it’s ridiculous that people are resigning and accepting them to portray their image as unblemished, when after a thorough investigation, those involved should have been removed from their positions.
He said that the BJP, which is making petty attempts to further its political agenda in the name of Lord Shri Ram, has not only failed to follow the ideals of Lord Shri Ram but has also done the opposite. He said that the chanting of Jai Shri Ram by the BJP is not an indication of faith and devotion towards him, but rather a symbol of their suspicious view of the offerings collected in Ayodhya. He questioned the silence of the Leader of the Opposition, Jai Ram Thakur, on this issue and said that he should tell whether he considers the theft of offerings right and if not, then why has he not condemned it till now.
Naresh Chauhan said that the names revealed in the donation theft case, along with all their associates, should be exposed to the nation. He demanded an impartial investigation into the theft of offerings at the Ayodhya temple, and that the accused and their abettors should be held accountable. He said that the property amassed through the stolen offerings should also be confiscated.
Commenting on the baseless propaganda being spread by the state BJP leadership against the state government, he termed the BJP as failing to fulfill its constitutional responsibility of being a constructive opposition. He said that ever since Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu took over the reins of the state, he has been vocal on issues of state interest and has strongly raised his voice in favor of Himachal at various important forums, including the courts and the central government. He said that Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is a person who has always risen above politics and advocated for the rights of Himachal. He said that Mr. Sukhu will be remembered as a flag-bearer for his fearless advocacy for the state’s rights and for his pioneering efforts in resource generation.
The Chief Minister’s steps toward making Himachal a self-reliant, prosperous, and green energy state are commendable and exemplary. In contrast, the BJP has achieved nothing in the last three years except stalling the pace of development work. Himachal is grappling with an economic challenge, and while Thakur Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu has taken tough decisions to overcome it, BJP leaders, far from partnering with the state government’s efforts to generate resources and secure additional central assistance, are instead focused on blocking financial assistance from the center.