Ram Temple donation theft has hurt crores of Hindus, says Devkinandan Thakur; reiterates demand for Sanatan Board

Lucknow: Kathavachak Devkinandan Thakur on Wednesday reacted to the theft of donations from the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, saying the incident has caused deep pain to crores of Hindus and Sanatan followers. He also reiterated his demand for the formation of a Sanatan Board to oversee the management of temples and religious affairs.

Speaking to IANS, Thakur said, “If such an incident has indeed taken place, it has caused pain to nearly 100 crore Hindus and Sanatan followers. We should wait for the investigation to reveal the complete truth.”

Reacting to the statement of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) chief Ajay Kumar, who said that the organisation does not accept responsibility for the recent decisions taken by the Ram Temple trust and that the VHP’s role ended after the construction of the temple was ensured, Thakur said he agreed with the remarks.

“He has worked for both the VHP and Sanatan. I agree with what he has said. I have been consistently demanding the formation of a Sanatan Board. Matters related to religion should be handled by religious leaders, while administrative and governance-related responsibilities should remain with the government and the administration,” he said.

Thakur further said that if a respected religious preceptor had been entrusted with the responsibility of managing the temple, such controversies may not have surfaced.

“The money donated in the name of Lord Ram should be used for the welfare of the poor, women, hospitals and other public welfare initiatives. The offerings made to Lord Ram should benefit Sanatan society and should not be meant for the personal interests of individuals associated with any trust,” he said.

Calling the formation of a Sanatan Board the best solution, Thakur said it would help prevent such incidents in the future.

“Our scriptures say that whoever harms religion ultimately faces the consequences of their actions. Those who have committed theft are now facing punishment. If you protect religion, religion will protect you. If you harm religion, religion will ultimately punish you,” he told IANS.

Appealing to the Central government, Thakur said, “Whatever has happened cannot be changed now, but we must think about how to safeguard what remains. I have faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and I request him and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to take decisions that will protect our religion and future generations.”

He further expressed hope that the Centre would establish a Sanatan Board with powers similar to those of the Waqf Board.

“All temples across the country should be brought under the Sanatan Board. If required, any one of the four Shankaracharyas can be entrusted with the responsibility of protecting and preserving Sanatan Dharma,” he added.

IANS