Bhubaneswar, June 28: Odisha Congress President Bhakta Charan Das on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust administration over the alleged embezzlement of temple donations, calling it a "major blow to faith".

Speaking to ANI, Das questioned the integrity of those managing the affairs of the Ram Temple, alleging that the controversy involves individuals who had earlier campaigned for Lord Ram and collected funds in his name from across the country.

"The Ram Temple's theft, and that too by those who were campaigning for Lord Ram, and talking about temple construction, and those who collected funds in the name of Lord Ram from the entire country, and who were under whose supervision, they are the ones who committed the theft," he said.

The Congress leader further alleged that the management is attempting to portray the Ram Temple as a commercial establishment rather than a sacred place of worship.

"Such a major blow to faith has never happened before. These people are not walking on the path of truth. The path of truth has the guidance of God. Through this theft, they want to prove that this is our shop, not a Ram Temple," he said.

He further questioned how public faith can be safeguarded if those associated with the temple administration are themselves accused of misappropriating donations and offerings.

"If those who have faith in Lord Ram in the Ram Temple are insulting him in this way, those who are looting the offerings of the devotees of the Ram Temple are working in this way, then how will faith be saved? They have raised questions on the faith of Lord Ram," he added.

On Friday, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and member trustee Anil Mishra resigned, taking moral responsibility for the alleged embezzlement of Ram Mandir donations.

The developments came after a First Information Report was registered on the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The case has been filed under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 306, 316(5), 317(4), 317(5), 61 and 3(5), on the directions of the Uttar Pradesh government.

Those who have been named in the FIR are: Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Tinnu Yadav, Manish Yadav and others. This comes after allegations were made by former SP MLA from Ayodhya, Pawan Pandey, who claimed that between Rs 7 crore and Rs 7.5 crore in donations were misappropriated from the Ram Mandir. (ANI)