Priyanka Vadra faces heat of BJP; 'since when have you started worrying about Lord Ram?' 

Taking a dig at Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday asked 'since when has the party started worrying about Lord Ram?' The question is posed by BJP leader Lallu Singh after Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that the money of the Ram Mandir has been misused. The war of words between BJP and Congress leaders comes a day after the Ram Mandir land scam expose. 

Mocking Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Lallu Singh said, "Congress is nearing its end, hence, they're talking about him. When someone's life is about to end they start to chant Ram-Ram." 

Priyanka Gandhi on Ram Mandir land scam

The statement of Lallu Singh comes in response to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's statement in which she had said, "Almost every household in the country has donated something to Ram Mandir Trust. A door-to-door campaign was held too. It is a matter of devotion and that is being toyed with. The pieces of land of Dalits, which could not have been purchased, were grabbed." 

"Some pieces of land were of a lower value and were sold to the Trust at a very high price. It means that there is a scam regarding the money which was collected through the donation," added the Congress general secretary. 

" It is moral responsibility does not stop with Yogi Ji, but at PM Modi. Women, Dalits, poor have donated to this temple. Faith cannot be hurt this way. How will the Ayodhya land be properly investigated by the District Collector who is involved in the scam? The inquiry should be monitored by the High court. How will the kingpin be caught without investigation? Apart from trustees, who else is involved?" she further said. 

Ram Mandir land scam 

As per an investigation by the Indian Express, local MLAs, close relatives of bureaucrats serving in Ayodhya and local revenue officials authenticating land transactions bought land around the Ram Janmabhoomi after the Supreme Court verdict clearing construction of a Ram Mandir. The report claims to officials bought land within a 5-km radius of the Ram temple site, raising questions of conflict of interest and irregularities in the purchase of land from Dalit villagers. Taking cognizance of the issue, the UP govt has ordered a probe into the issue, seeks a report within a week.

Previously, AAP and SP had accused Ram Mandir Teerth Kshetra trust chief Champat Rai of buying a piece of land worth Rs 2 crore at an inflated price of Rs 18.5 crore for the Ram temple premises with help from Trust's member Anil Mishra. They claimed that Rai purchased a 1.208 hectare-land for a price of Rs 18.50 crore from the first purchaser, who had bought it minutes earlier on March 18 this year from its original owners for a sum of Rs 2 crores. Terming it a case of money laundering, Singh and Pandey both sought a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate into the land purchase for the temple premises. The Trust has stalled any new land purchases temporarily amid the scam accusations.

Image: ANI/PTI/@LalluSingh-Facebook