Swami Darshan Bharti urges U’khand govt, BKTC to probe Kedarnath Temple ‘gold theft’
Dehradun: Amid a row over the alleged irregularities of donations at Shri Badrinath Temple in Uttarakhand’s Badrinath, Devbhoomi Raksha Abhiyan founder Swami Darshan Bharti on Wednesday urged the state government and Shri Badarinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) to launch a probe into previous allegations of embezzlement, including “theft of gold” from the Kedarnath Temple.
In an interaction with IANS, Swami Darshan Bharti said: “Theft has been happening for a long time. If the Uttarakhand government conducts an impartial investigation into this matter, then the Kedarnath Temple should also be included. The gold theft at the Kedarnath Temple, which drew widespread attention, should also be made part of the investigation.”
The Devbhoomi Raksha Abhiyan founder added: “Incidents which took place even five years ago should be probed and the investigation should not be restricted to what happened today. It should include the scams which took place in the tenure of previous government officials as well.”
“There have been innumerable scams at the Badrinath Temple. In fact, it is easier to do so at the Kedarnath Temple. If devotees want to donate money there, priests are ready to pocket that,” he alleged.
Swami Darshan Bharti also alleged that sixty per cent of the donated amount at Kedarnath and Badrinath Temples “goes into the pockets of the people there and not into the donation boxes”.
“BKTC should look into this but they themselves are involved and are hence unable to stop such thefts. I have myself seen that in Kedarnath and Badrinath temples, instead of the donation boxes, people take the money and put it in their pockets,” he claimed while emphasising that it is a major robbery which should be stopped at all costs.
He urged the Uttarakhand government to probe whether or not gold was stolen from the Kedarnath Temple.
“If the Uttarakhand government and BKTC considers itself devoted to God, then it should form a large Special Investigation Team (SIT) and complete probe into all the previous allegations, regardless of the time it takes,” Swami Darshan Bharti asserted.
Meanwhile, a case has been registered at the Badrinath Police Station following a complaint by the BKTC regarding the alleged embezzlement of temple donations.
Following the preliminary findings, the BKTC suspended Pramod Nautiyal, the Personal Assistant posted in the office of the BKTC Chairman, with immediate effect on July 7, saying that allowing him to continue in his position could compromise the fairness and impartiality of the investigation.