"Will the SIT be allowed to function impartially?": Akhilesh Yadav on Ram Mandir donation embezzlement case

Kannauj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 22 (ANI): Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday raised questions over the alleged Ram Mandir donation embezzlement case, questioning whether the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government would be allowed to function impartially.
Speaking to reporters in Kannauj, the SP chief said the reports regarding alleged irregularities in devotees' offerings were disturbing.
"The reports emerging are disturbing. People's devotion and attachment to Lord Ram are unparalleled. People never imagined that such reports regarding their offerings would surface. Although the government has constituted an SIT, a major question remains: will the SIT be allowed to function impartially?" Yadav said.
He further alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prioritised monetary interests over religious values, adding that the controversy had hurt public sentiment linked to Sanatan traditions.
"The BJP has proven that it values money more than religion; no one had even imagined that Sanatan traditions would suffer such a severe blow. We hope the truth will come to light," he added.
In a further remark posted on social media platform X, Yadav expressed scepticism over the investigation process and its timeline.
"SIT take care... lest the investigation report itself gets stolen somewhere. Then they'll say, wait another 15 days. They're extending the days because they're hiding the evidence," he wrote in a post on X.
The remarks come amid an ongoing probe into allegations related to Ram Mandir offerings. On June 14, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the alleged scam involving offerings made at the Ram Mandir, following a request from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir Trust.
The SIT comprises Vijay Vishwas Pant, IAS, Divisional Commissioner, Lucknow; Kiran S, IPS, IG (Range); and Neel Ratan, Special Secretary, Finance. The committee has been directed to submit its preliminary and final reports as soon as possible.
Separately, commenting on alleged encounter killings, Akhilesh Yadav said there should be no "encounter culture" in a democracy and stressed that justice should be delivered through constitutional means.
"There should be no 'encounter culture' in a democracy; the Constitution does not permit it. Democracy is strengthened when justice is served, and what could be more tragic than someone being killed with the intent of staging an encounter?. We have maintained from the very beginning that many people have been killed in encounters at the behest of the BJP government, and when an investigation takes place, many individuals will be questioned" he told reporters. (ANI)