Siddaramaiah demands accountability on Ram Mandir donations

Senior Congress leaderSiddaramaiah on Saturday said he is having a Ramtempleconstructed inhis village, as he urged those involved incollection of donations for the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya to beaccountable to the people of the country, as it is publicmoney.Accusing the BJP of playing with the emotions of peoplein the name of god, the former Chief Minister said he too hasfaith in god, but for him beliefs are personal issues andshould not be used as a political tool...

Senior Congress leaderSiddaramaiah on Saturday said he is having a Ramtempleconstructed inhis village, as he urged those involved incollection of donations for the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya to beaccountable to the people of the country, as it is publicmoney.

Accusing the BJP of playing with the emotions of peoplein the name of god, the former Chief Minister said he too hasfaith in god, but for him beliefs are personal issues andshould not be used as a political tool.

''.. there is nothingthat only those who have given themoney should ask for accounts.

What I have said is, in the past too money and brickswere collected for Ram Mandir during Ayodhya agitation...

did they account for it?'' Siddaramaiah said.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, he said, itissaid thatRs 1,500 crore has been collected so far, an account should begiven, all 135 crore people might not have given, but it ispublic money.

''I'm not mentioning about any corruption, but an accounthas to be given.. they are accountable... if they don't givean account, doesn't it give rise to suspicion about misuse?''he asked, adding that those collecting donations areaccountable to the people of the country.

He was responding to a BJP leaders' statementsquestioning who Siddaramaiah was to seek an account, when hehas not given any donations.

Siddaramaiah had earlier in the week said that he willnot give a donation to build Ram Mandir in Ayodhya since itwill be built in a disputed place.

The Leader of Opposition in the state assembly accusedtheBJP of trying to gain sympathy as partof its propagandainthe name of God.

People are giving money for Sri Rama and his temple, notfor BJP, he said adding that ''there are Ram Mandirseverywhere, also in villages, not only in Ayodhya.. I alsohave a Ramtemple constructed in my village..the public havecontributed to it.'' PTI KSUROH ROH