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Amid Ram Mandir Row, UP Deputy CM Brings Up Babri Masjid, Madrasas: ‘Nobody Asking…’

From Hindustan Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak criticized the opposition for focusing on alleged Ram Mandir donation embezzlement while ignoring funds collected for the Babri Masjid.
  • Pathak also alleged "terror funding" and illegal activities occurring in madrasas in border districts.
  • The controversy follows allegations of ₹7.5 crore in stolen donations for the Ram Mandir, leading to an SIT probe and eight arrests.

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Friday strongly criticized opposition parties, accusing them of appeasement politics and attacking Sanatan Dharma to gain Muslim votes. He specifically targeted the ongoing controversy surrounding alleged embezzlement of donations for the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

Pathak questioned why no one was inquiring about the funds collected for the Babri Masjid, stating, "The Babri Masjid also collected donations. Nobody is asking what happened to that money." He implied that the Samajwadi Party and Congress were selectively focusing on the Ram Mandir issue while ignoring other financial matters related to religious sites.

The Babri Masjid also collected donations. Nobody is asking what happened to that money. The Samajwadi Party and the Congress are only indulging in appeasement politics and attacking Sanatan Dharma to woo Muslim voters.

— Brajesh PathakUttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister accusing opposition parties of hypocrisy and appeasement politics regarding religious site donations.

Adding to his remarks, Pathak raised concerns about alleged illegal activities within madrasas in the state's border districts. He alluded to "terror funding" and questioned the activities of maulanas, urging the public to consider these issues. It remained unclear whether his comments referred to the mosque demolished in 1992 or the alternative plot allocated for a new mosque in Dhannipur following the 2019 Supreme Court verdict.

The controversy stems from allegations by a Samajwadi Party MLA that nearly ₹7.5 crore in donations for the Ram Mandir were stolen. In response to mounting criticism and a court plea, the Uttar Pradesh government formed a Special Investigative Team (SIT) to probe the matter. The SIT has since filed an FIR based on a complaint by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust and has made eight arrests, including individuals associated with the trust and a retired bank employee involved in counting donations. The trust's general secretary, Champat Rai, was also questioned by the SIT.

In our border districts, what is going on in the madrasas? What are the maulanas doing there? People should think about that as well.

— Brajesh PathakUttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister raising concerns about alleged illegal activities and terror funding in madrasas.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hindustan Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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