NEW DELHI: The AAP on Monday sought a clarification from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust over the purchase of a piece of land for the proposed Ram temple in Ayodhya by it at an alleged inflated price. Terming it a “scam”, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said the temple is being built using donations made by people and their hard-earned money should not be misused.
His remarks came a day after AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh alleged that Champat Rai, general secretary of Shriram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, purchased 1.208 hectares of land worth Rs 2 crore in Ayodhya’s Bag Bjaisi village for Rs 18.5 crore on March 18 with the help of trust member Anil Mishra.
Sisodia said the land originally sold for Rs 2 crore to Harish Pathak and Kusum Pathak by Mohan Tiwari and Sultan Ansari at 7:10 was surprisingly sold for Rs 18.5 crore to the same party within a matter of five minutes.
The AAP said the Pathaks might have sold the land at a low price because of the sentiments associated with Ram Temple, but the trust gave much more money than it was originally bought for, showing the ill intention of the managers of the trust.
“The temple is being built using donations made by people and their sentiments are attached to it. My request to them (Ram temple trust) is only that they should not play with the sentiments of the people who donated their hard-earned money for the temple,” Sisodoa said.
Singh, who was also present at the press conference, claimed Mishra and Rishikesh Upadhyay, mayor of Ayodhya, were present during the finalisation of both the sale agreements.
Trust general secretary Rai has strongly refuted the allegations. The AAP has decided to contest the UP Assembly elections slated for next year.