Speaking for the first time about allegations concerning embezzlement of Ram temple donation money, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday sought to blunt the Opposition’s attack on the issue and indicated the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has a free hand to conduct the ongoing probe, assuring that no guilty person will be spared, irrespective of who they may be.Chief minister Yogi Aditynath at a public event in Ayodhya district on Friday. (HT PHOTO)He also urged people to hand over any documentary proof related to the scam to the probe team, asserting that the truth will emerge in 15 days, calling for patience while underlining that the Ram temple in Ayodhya was built after a 500-year wait and cautioning against attempts to defame Ayodhya.Adityanath was addressing a gathering at Rudauli tehsil in Ayodhya district after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for 126 development projects worth over ₹378 crore, including the Government Ayurvedic College and Hospital in Rudauli assembly constituency. on Friday.He made similar remarks later in the day when he addressed a gathering to celebrate the 88th birth anniversary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das at Shri Mani Ram Das Chhawani in Ayodhya.“After we learned from newspapers about the Ayodhya incident, the SIT was constituted on the Trust’s request. It will bring out the truth and there is no doubt about it,” he said.Taking a firm stand, he said, “Until the SIT’s report comes, no statements should be made that hurt the sentiments of Ram devotees. If anyone has any documentary proof (related to the donation row), submit it to the SIT.”“Our ancestors struggled for 500 years with dignity for Lord Ram’s temple; please wait for 15 more days. If anyone is guilty, it is certain that whoever they may be, they will not be spared,” he added.On June 13, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted an SIT following a request from the temple trust to probe allegations of misappropriation of donation money.The SIT has already questioned Trust general secretary Champat Rai, Ram temple administrator Gopal Rao and Trust member Anil Mishra.Rai was specifically mentioned in the administrative protocol letter issued by the district administration with point number 29 of the document requesting him to nominate a person during the chief minister’s visit to the Ram temple.This was construed by some people as district magistrate’s directive to Rai to abstain himself from the CM’s events‘Do not fall for those whoinsulted Ayodhya, Ram temple’Attacking the Samajwadi Party and the Congress for raking up the Ayodhya controversy, the chief minister asked people “not to be misled by those who defame Ayodhya and insult Ram Janmabhoomi. These people will never want Ayodhya to gain respect because they did nothing for Ayodhya.”“Those who did not provide electricity to Ayodhya and confined it to narrow lanes are today spreading propaganda and making vile attempts to insult Ayodhya, the first among the seven sacred cities,” he said.Targeting the Samajwadi Party in particular, the chief minister stated that those who fired (gun shots) on Ram devotees, raised questions on Ram’s existence, placed advocates in court to stall Ram Mandir’s construction, insulted Ram devotees and offered fateha at mafia graves should stop preaching.“Until the SIT’s report comes, refrain from making statements, as it influences the investigation. After the probe, if any side has something to say, the SIT will be ready, but do not attempt character assassination or make vile attempts to defame Ayodhya,” he said.The probe follows allegations raised by Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, who, on June 7, cited reports claiming that crores of rupees from donations offered at the temple were missing and urged the courts to take cognisance of the matter.‘Akhilesh Yadav’s devotion is notfor Ram, they worship Babur ‘Hitting out at Akhilesh Yadav, the chief minister said he has not yet visited Ram Mandir and stopped his MLAs from going to Ayodhya.“When current Uttar Pradesh minister Manoj Pandey, then an SP MLA, proposed that all (SP) MLAs should go to Ayodhya for darshan, we accepted it, but Akhilesh Yadav did not allow them,” Adityanath said.“His (Akhilesh Yadav) devotion is not towards Ram. They are people who worship Babur,” said CM.Continuing his attack on the SP, the chief minister said those who ruled before 2017 did not give Kamakhya Dham (in Ayodhya’s Rudauli) the benefits of Nagar Panchayat (urban local body) status because they lacked sensitivity and willpower.“For them, family mattered, not the public. Jobs and facilities were only for their clan. Those who had no time beyond building cemetery boundary walls, how would they install Jhalkari Bai’s statue?” the chief minister asked.‘Congress, which questioned theexistence of Ram, is now restless’Exposing what he claimed were the double standards of the Samajwadi Party and Congress, the chief minister said the Congress tried its utmost to ensure the Ram Temple was not built.It filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court saying Ram never existed, he said.“The Congress that created an identity crisis for you is today restless over Ayodhya, saying Ram devotees are being insulted,” he added.“When Congress questioned the existence of Lord Ram, was that not an insult to Ram devotees?”“The Samajwadi Party that fired bullets on karsevaks and rained lathis on chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ is now talking about the insult to Ram devotees and preaching!” he said.Ram-opposers cannot tolerate Ayodhya’s development, he further said.Adityanath also said the SP and Congress dislike Ayodhya becoming a solar city, having four-lane connectivity, an airport in the name of Maharishi Valmiki, a night shelter in the name of Nishad Raj, a ‘bhojanalaya’ in the name of Maa Shabri, Ram ki Paidi on the banks of Saryu, and the grand form of Panchkosi, 14 Kosi and 84 Kosi parikrama.At Nritya Gopal Das’s birth anniversary event, Adityanath said whenever India moved in a positive direction, “they lose sleep and start hatching conspiracies”.Adityanath urged seers and devotees to “not to be swayed” by the controversy.“There is no need to fall for these conspiracies. We are devotees of Lord Ram and must uphold his ‘maryada’.“Ayodhya’s identity is linked to the maryada of Lord Ram, Kashi derives its identity from the spiritual energy of Lord Shiva, and Prayagraj from Sanatan’s samrasta (bringing diverse communities together). We must not allow these identities to be lost or become subjects of a controversy,” he said.He also said was delighted to participate in the birth anniversary celebrations of Nritya Gopal Das.Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh told media persons in Lucknow that he will officially submit all evidence connected to the donation to the SIT after seeking time.“I have sent a written complaint from my official email ID to the state (Uttar Pradesh) DGP, Ayodhya SSP and the SHO concerned demanding registration of an FIR regarding the embezzlement of donation money for the Ram Mandir,” Sanjay Singh said.“We will officially hand over all documents of donation theft to the SIT,” added Singh‘State progressed through collective efforts’Adityanath said Uttar Pradesh was earlier referred to as a ‘BIMARU’ state where youth had no jobs, farmers were forced to commit suicide, and daughters-traders were unsafe.“That same Uttar Pradesh is now on the path of development. The state is no longer ‘BIMARU’ but is acting as the growth engine of the country’s economy. The progress that the state has made in nine years is the result of everyone’s collective effort,” he said at the Rudauli event.‘BJP government will work even better’Assuring people of further development, the chief minister said the double-engine government will also develop the sacred land between Saryu and Gomti rivers.“All MLAs are working hard to bring development schemes, but the credit goes to the public. Good work will bring good results. You give strength to the double-engine government, the BJP government will work even better,” the chief minister said.Prominent among those present on the occasion included MLAs Amit Singh Chauhan, Chandrabhanu Paswan, Abhay Singh, MLC Hariom Pandey, Zila Panchayat chairperson Roli Singh, former MLAs Indra Pratap Tiwari, and others.The chief minister also inaugurated the Ramayana Wax Museum and a zonal office building in Ayodhya.