The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is not responsible for the donation theft at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and it will wait for the investigation in the case to consider taking any action on one of its vice presidents, Champat Rai, who resigned as former general secretary of the temple trust following the SIT probe in the case, said Alok Kumar, international president of the VHP, in an interview with HT. Excerpts:
How would you sum up this temple loot?
What has happened is very unfortunate. And it has hurt the sentiments of the Hindus across the globe. There is no question of finding any excuses or trying to defend it. All of us are determined that the police and the SIT make a very thorough probe covering all angles and individuals whoever they may be against whom there are any allegations.
Has VHP’s credibility taken a hit?
We are not accountable for it. The day the Supreme Court judgment came, I had clarified that the job of the VHP is over. Construction of the temple and the running of it is not our job.
Champat Rai is the international vice president of the VHP. So on moral grounds, some action on the part of the VHP would be in order.
We did not nominate him to that place [post of general secretary of the trust]. He does not represent the VHP. We are not responsible. Whatever has happened is unfortunate, but the attempts to pin the VHP, the RSS, the prime minister’s office, is being done with an eye on the assembly elections next year.
I, in my capacity as president of the VHP, issued a four-point statement: An FIR should be filed immediately, the case promptly investigated by senior officers, tried daily in a fast-track court, and the guilty punished within four to five months…You want me to dismiss him (Rai) today without the result of the investigation probe but no one has accused Rai yet. The allegations are on his driver.
The driver had the keys to the strong room. How does that fit in?
The driver has gone to jail. He is being examined. Money has been recovered from him. The law will catch up with him.
What about Rai’s role?
I’m admitting that he may be guilty of negligence.
Negligence too is a crime. Is this an attempt to let the big fish get away?
I’m sure it would not happen. In the content part of the FIR, the trust has requested for a comprehensive investigation not limited to the eight people arrested. It includes all persons, including the person frequently mentioned by you. So whatever be the size of the fish, irrespective of small or big, none would be spared.
Why has the VHP not disassociated with Rai?
The VHP has proactively demanded an investigation which is going on and therefore, we will wait for some time. We shall wait for investigations to reach some conclusions and then consider this matter. Let his role be found out by an appropriate inquiry and then we shall consider it.
