Lucknow-based activist Amitabh Thakur has called for an independent audit of the Ram Temple Trust's donations since 2020 to address the recent embezzlement scandal. He urged the Trust to issue a 'Donor Assurance Certificate' within 15 days to restore public confidence.

Key Takeaways

  • Amitabh Thakur demands independent reconciliation of all cash and valuable donations since February 5, 2020.
  • The Trust is requested to issue a 'Donor Assurance Certificate' within 15 days to reassure devotees.
  • Eight individuals have been arrested so far in connection with the Ram Temple funds embezzlement case.

Amidst the escalating controversy surrounding the Ram Temple embezzlement case, Lucknow-based social activist and former IPS officer Amitabh Thakur has raised a critical demand for transparency within the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. Thakur, who leads the Azad Adhikar Sena, has formally requested the Trust's leadership to undertake a comprehensive independent retrospective reconciliation of all donations received since February 5, 2020. This move aims to address growing concerns over financial irregularities and to safeguard the unwavering faith of millions of devotees.

Call for Financial Rectification

In a detailed letter addressed to the Chairman and General Secretary of the Trust, Thakur emphasized that the recent allegations of financial misconduct have cast a shadow of doubt. He argued that it is imperative to verify whether the currently detected irregularities are an isolated incident or part of a larger systemic failure. The activist has called for a meticulous cross-verification of donation records, counting sheets, bank deposit slips, and registers of valuable articles. The objective is to ascertain whether the entire donation corpus is fully accounted for and to identify any unexplained financial discrepancies that may have escaped initial scrutiny.

Restoring Devotee Confidence

To mitigate the crisis of confidence among the public, Thakur has proposed the issuance of a brief “Donor Assurance Certificate” based on the findings of this independent audit. He has set a 15-day deadline for the Trust to complete this exercise and make the findings public. This step is seen as crucial in restoring the sanctity of the donations collected from across the globe. The situation remains tense, with eight accused individuals already remanded to judicial custody until July 27, and opposition parties intensifying their calls for accountability from the administration.

Copies of this representation have also been forwarded to the Cabinet Secretary of the Government of India and the Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh, urging them to intervene to ensure that the highest standards of accountability are maintained in the management of the temple funds.