LUCKNOW: The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown apparently failed to suppress the zeal of Ram devotees as scores of them continued to make online donations for the construction of the proposed temple in Ayodhya.
As per the highly-placed sources, Rs 4.60 crore donation cama in two separate official accounts of Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust since March 25, when the first spell of lockdown was announced. These accounts were opened in a branch of State bank of India in Ayodhya.
Notably, the trustees had opened the net banking option for devotees interested in sending money for temple construction after a symbolic celebration of the birth of Lord Ram in sanctum sanctorum in Ayodhya on Ramnavami (April 2). This led to donations trickling in the trust’s accounts leading to the deposit in lakhs.
The majority of the devotees are crediting money in the trust accounts through e-banking. They are also making use of digital modes like the UPI system. People are also donating through net banking, RTGS tool. So far, around 5,000 people have transferred money online from different parts of the country, said the sources.
The bank sources said that devotees are sending amounts ranging from Rs 11 to thousands as per their capability. Around Rs 2.5 crore in one account and Rs 2.1 crore in the other have been deposited as donation. Some of the bigger amounts have been donated through cheques.
However, the Ram devotees in Ayodhya find this trail of donations slow and hope that it would increase with the lifting of the curbs.
The current account of the trust with zero balance facility was opened SBI in Ayodhya on March 5. Earlier, the donation amount used to be deposited in another bank account operated and supervised by the Ram Janmbhoomi complex ‘receiver’ who happened to be the divisional commissioner of Ayodhya.
With the announcement of the temple trust by PM Narednra Modi in Parliament on February 5, the account was handed over to Raja Bimalendra Mohan Pratap Mishra, who belongs to Ayodhya royal family.