Not our job to run temple: VHP washes hands of Champat Rai in donation theft row
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad's remarks come as scrutiny intensifies over the functioning of the Ram Mandir trust after it was established that donations made at the Ram temple in Ayodhya were stolen in a systematic manner.
Days after the theft and embezzlement of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir triggered outrage and raised questions over accountability, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has distanced itself from the "actions" taken by one of its top leaders, Champat Rai, in his capacity as the head of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The VHP also called for a comprehensive investigation into the theft of donations.
Speaking to India Today TV’s Rajdeep Sardesai, VHP International President Alok Kumar said the organisation does not accept responsibility for any of the recent decisions taken by the Ram temple trust and clarified that the VHP’s role in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement ended once the objective of ensuring a temple comes up at the site was met.
"Our role is over. It is not the job of the VHP in any part of the country to construct temples or to run them. The trust would run them and what happens in the trust would be the responsibility of the trust," he said, adding that attempts to extend accountability to the RSS or the government would be inappropriate.
"I am distancing myself with the actions of Shri Champat Rai in his capacity as the General Secretary of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra," Kumar added.
His remarks come at a politically sensitive moment as scrutiny intensifies over the diversion of devotees' offerings and the functioning of the trust overseeing one of the country’s most significant religious sites.
CHAMPAT RAI QUITS ON MORAL GROUNDS
Champat Rai, who had long been associated with the VHP before becoming General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, stepped down from the post on moral grounds over mounting allegations of financial irregularities and questions being raised about the capability of top Trust officials. Trustee Anil Mishra also resigned amid pressure following the preliminary findings of the Special Investigation Team (SIT).
Rejecting suggestions that the VHP should be held directly accountable because of Rai’s long association with the organisation, Kumar maintained that the trust operated independently after the Supreme Court verdict that paved the way for the temple’s construction.
"What has happened in Ayodhya is very disgraceful, very shameful. All of us, all the Hindus in the world, particularly those who donated funds and the kar sevaks and their families, are deeply hurt," he said.
However, Kumar argued that responsibility for temple administration rested with the trust and not with the VHP.
Recalling his position after the Ram Janmabhoomi verdict, he said the organisation had clearly stated that it would neither construct nor run the temple.
EIGHT ACCUSED ARRESTED
At the same time, the senior VHP leader rejected the argument that accountability should stop with the eight people arrested so far.
According to him, once irregularities came to the notice of trustees in early June, they first attempted to verify facts before deciding between filing an FIR and seeking a wider probe.
He said the trust requested Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to constitute an SIT, after which investigators began examining the matter.
For the uninitiated, the FIR filed in the embezzlement case names Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava and Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu as accused - all of who have been arrested.
Alok Kumar further said Champat Rai had offered himself for questioning first and stressed that the trust’s FIR was not limited to the eight accused.
"We have asked for a comprehensive investigation which covers everybody, including Champat Ji, including Gopal Ji, including Dr. Anil Mishra. And whosoever is guilty, he should be tried and punished," he said, adding that the process should conclude within four to five months.
The SIT probe has since expanded into a detailed financial investigation, with police seeking five years of banking records linked to trust accounts and those connected to the accused.
Investigators are analysing transaction histories, deposit records, CCTV footage and cash movement to determine whether donations collected at the temple matched official records.
WHAT NEXT?
With the SIT continuing its investigation and financial scrutiny now extending across bank records, cash movement logs and internal oversight mechanisms, attention is shifting to whether the probe establishes a wider chain of accountability beyond the eight arrested accused.
The findings could determine whether further legal action, additional resignations or administrative restructuring within the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust follows in the coming weeks.
Given the scale of public faith and donations associated with the Ram temple, the outcome of the investigation is likely to shape both public confidence and future systems governing the management of temple offerings.
Days after the theft and embezzlement of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir triggered outrage and raised questions over accountability, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has distanced itself from the "actions" taken by one of its top leaders, Champat Rai, in his capacity as the head of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The VHP also called for a comprehensive investigation into the theft of donations.
Speaking to India Today TV’s Rajdeep Sardesai, VHP International President Alok Kumar said the organisation does not accept responsibility for any of the recent decisions taken by the Ram temple trust and clarified that the VHP’s role in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement ended once the objective of ensuring a temple comes up at the site was met.
"Our role is over. It is not the job of the VHP in any part of the country to construct temples or to run them. The trust would run them and what happens in the trust would be the responsibility of the trust," he said, adding that attempts to extend accountability to the RSS or the government would be inappropriate.
"I am distancing myself with the actions of Shri Champat Rai in his capacity as the General Secretary of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra," Kumar added.
His remarks come at a politically sensitive moment as scrutiny intensifies over the diversion of devotees' offerings and the functioning of the trust overseeing one of the country’s most significant religious sites.
CHAMPAT RAI QUITS ON MORAL GROUNDS
Champat Rai, who had long been associated with the VHP before becoming General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, stepped down from the post on moral grounds over mounting allegations of financial irregularities and questions being raised about the capability of top Trust officials. Trustee Anil Mishra also resigned amid pressure following the preliminary findings of the Special Investigation Team (SIT).
Rejecting suggestions that the VHP should be held directly accountable because of Rai’s long association with the organisation, Kumar maintained that the trust operated independently after the Supreme Court verdict that paved the way for the temple’s construction.
"What has happened in Ayodhya is very disgraceful, very shameful. All of us, all the Hindus in the world, particularly those who donated funds and the kar sevaks and their families, are deeply hurt," he said.
However, Kumar argued that responsibility for temple administration rested with the trust and not with the VHP.
Recalling his position after the Ram Janmabhoomi verdict, he said the organisation had clearly stated that it would neither construct nor run the temple.
EIGHT ACCUSED ARRESTED
At the same time, the senior VHP leader rejected the argument that accountability should stop with the eight people arrested so far.
According to him, once irregularities came to the notice of trustees in early June, they first attempted to verify facts before deciding between filing an FIR and seeking a wider probe.
He said the trust requested Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to constitute an SIT, after which investigators began examining the matter.
For the uninitiated, the FIR filed in the embezzlement case names Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava and Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu as accused - all of who have been arrested.
Alok Kumar further said Champat Rai had offered himself for questioning first and stressed that the trust’s FIR was not limited to the eight accused.
"We have asked for a comprehensive investigation which covers everybody, including Champat Ji, including Gopal Ji, including Dr. Anil Mishra. And whosoever is guilty, he should be tried and punished," he said, adding that the process should conclude within four to five months.
The SIT probe has since expanded into a detailed financial investigation, with police seeking five years of banking records linked to trust accounts and those connected to the accused.
Investigators are analysing transaction histories, deposit records, CCTV footage and cash movement to determine whether donations collected at the temple matched official records.
WHAT NEXT?
With the SIT continuing its investigation and financial scrutiny now extending across bank records, cash movement logs and internal oversight mechanisms, attention is shifting to whether the probe establishes a wider chain of accountability beyond the eight arrested accused.
The findings could determine whether further legal action, additional resignations or administrative restructuring within the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust follows in the coming weeks.
Given the scale of public faith and donations associated with the Ram temple, the outcome of the investigation is likely to shape both public confidence and future systems governing the management of temple offerings.
