Give fund collectors' details: C'garh govt to Ram Temple trust

The Chhattisgarh government haswritten to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trustasking it to provide details of persons, organisations andtrusts authorised to collect donations in the state forconstruction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, an official said onFriday.

The move came in the wake of a case registered againsta woman in Bilaspur last week for allegedly fraudulentlycollecting funds for the temple construction.

In a letter to Champat Rai, general secretary of ShriRam Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Chhattisgarh chiefsecretary Amitabh Jain said it had been noticed that a fewundesirable persons, elements, institutions were allegedlyindulging in fraudulent, illegal recovery of funds by printingreceipts with an intention to misuse public sentiments in thename of Ram Mandir construction.

In this direction, a case has been registered againsta woman for alleged illegal recovery of funds in Bilaspur, anofficial said quoting the CS' letter.

''The chief secretary urged Rai to provide informationregarding persons, trusts and institutions authorised tocollect donations in the state, so that the administration canput a check on illegal, fraudulent fund recovery in the nameof temple construction,'' he added.

Talking to reporters on Thursday evening, ChiefMinister Bhupesh Baghel said details about authorised donationcollectors would help police to take appropriate actionagainst those indulging in frauds.

''Therefore, we sought information from the Trust aboutthose who have been assigned to collect funds in the state sothat such authorised people will be known to the government aswell as people and police can take action in case of illegalrecovery,'' he said.

Reacting to the letter, Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaderGhanshyam Chaudhary said there was no issue in sharing detailsof those authorised to collect ''nidhi samarpan'' (funds) forthe temple construction.

However, he raised doubts over the intention of thestate government, and said ''it seems, through this letter thestate government is trying to create confusion among peopleand disrupt the drive''.

Chaudhary heads the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir NidhiSamarpan Samiti in Chhattisgarh and is overseeing the fund-raising drive for the temple here.