Mangaluru: The Congress on Wednesday demanded dissolution of the existing Ram Mandir Trust, its reconstitution with Shankaracharyas and devotees as members, and a Supreme Court judge-monitored CBI probe into alleged theft and financial irregularities linked to the Ram Mandir.Addressing reporters, KPCC Campaign Committee president and former minister Vinay Kumar Sorake said reports of missing gold, silver and cash offerings had hurt the sentiments of crores of devotees. Given the religious significance of the issue, he sought a transparent and time-bound investigation.Sorake alleged irregularities in land transactions and misuse of offerings made by devotees. He also referred to allegations that gold linked to the temple had been brought to Karnataka and melted. Tracing the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, Sorake accused the BJP and Sangh Parivar of using the issue for political mobilisation in the late 1980s, and collecting donations and bricks from households.Recalling his electoral contest in Puttur against DV Sadananda Gowda, Sorake alleged BJP workers carried bricks during campaigning, many of which were later found abandoned, while the offerings collected were never accounted for.He said Congress had consistently maintained that the Ram Janmabhoomi dispute should be settled through the courts and had accepted the Supreme Court verdict. However, he alleged that the trust constituted subsequently included individuals linked to the RSS and VHP. He also claimed Shankaracharyas had raised objections to the timing and procedures followed during the temple inauguration, alleging that the event was rushed ahead of elections.Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sorake referred to slogans such as “na khaunga, na khane dunga” and “chowkidar”, and alleged that the govt had failed to prevent irregularities even in funds and offerings linked to the temple. Naming Champat Rai and Anil Mishra, he demanded that they be questioned.Sorake also termed the Uttar Pradesh SIT investigation inadequate, alleging that it had failed to uncover the truth, and instead implicated innocent persons.KPCC Campaign Committee chief coordinator Sudhir Kumar Maroli alleged that the purported irregularities involved insiders managing the trust. He sought accountability from those responsible for appointments to the body. He questioned Mangaluru City South MLA D Vedavyas Kamath, former MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and Union minister Shobha Karandlaje over the issue.Maroli also raised concerns over activist Sonam Wangchuk’s 18-day fast, claiming that even the British engaged with Mahatma Gandhi during protests, while the present govt remained silent.
