Champat Rai's resignation accepted by Ram Temple Trust amid donation theft row

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Monday said it will respect whatever decision the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust takes on the resignations of its general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra, asserting that allegations alone do not establish guilt. The RSS affiliate also said that the ongoing probe into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple should be allowed to reach its conclusion. The Trust will hold a crucial meeting on Monday afternoon. VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain said the organisation will not speculate on the outcome of the meeting and has full faith in the Trust's wisdom. "The Trust alone will decide and make the announcement. Whatever decision it takes, we will respect. We have complete faith in the wisdom of the saints associated with the Trust," he told reporters here.

Jain defended Rai and Mishra, saying allegations by themselves do not make a person guilty. "Until guilt is proven, do not treat anyone as a criminal. Let the investigating agency do its job and wait for the outcome of the investigation," he said, alleging that some people have sought to pronounce Rai guilty even before the probe has concluded. Claiming that several allegations levelled against Rai have not stood scrutiny, Jain said the VHP leader has not tried to evade the investigation and has instead supported the constitution of the SIT and is cooperating with the probe. He also said the temple trust acted promptly after the preliminary findings emerged by lodging an FIR and has not attempted to shield anyone.

Jain said both Rai and Mishra have stepped down on moral grounds, and described their resignations as setting "high standards of morality". He said the VHP is also in favour of strengthening the Trust's oversight mechanism and welcome suggestions that could make its functioning more transparent. Reiterating the VHP's stand against state control of temples, Jain said Hindu religious institutions should be administered by the community and not the government. "We will not allow the government takeover of Hindu temples. The saints and the society of this country should manage and run these temples," he said. He also accused opposition leaders of attempting to undermine public faith in the Ram temple and alleged that their criticism is politically motivated rather than driven by concerns over corruption.