Champat Rai gave up everything for Ram Temple: Brother defends him in donation row
Brother of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Champat Rai, who resigned as the General Secretary of the Ram Temple Trust, defended him on Sunday against
Brother of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Champat Rai, who resigned as the General Secretary of the Ram Temple Trust, defended him on Sunday against allegations of embezzling donations meant for the Ram temple, saying he had sacrificed his personal life and career for the temple movement and service to the nation. The defence came after questions were raised over Rai's role in the alleged large-scale embezzlement of donations, which led to his resignation as general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Monday. Read Full Story Earlier in the day, the Faizabad Bar Association demanded that Champat Rai, Anil Mishra and Gopal Rao, all linked to the temple's management but not named as accused in the FIR, "must leave" Ayodhya.
The lawyers said that if the three did not leave "within three days", the entire city would be blockaded and no one would be allowed to enter. Speaking to news agency PTI, Sunil Bansal, a resident of Nagina in Bijnor district and Rai's brother, said Rai had devoted his entire life to the cause of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Ram temple movement and national service. He said Rai had earlier worked as a teacher in Rohtak in 1970-71 and later became a physics lecturer at RSM Degree College in Dhampur in 1972.
Bansal said that during the Emergency, police tried to arrest Rai while he was teaching, and that he later surrendered at the local police station. He added that Rai resigned from his teaching job in 1980-81 to work full-time for the RSS. Describing the allegations as politically motivated, Bansal said his brother had given up "everything" for the RSS, the Ram temple movement and the service of the country. The Bar Association also said it would seek registration of an FIR against Champat Rai, Gopal Rao and Anil Mishra under BNSS Section 156(3), which allows a magistrate to direct police to investigate a cognisable offence if no action has been taken on a complaint.
The developments came as Rai's brother defended his record and the lawyers stepped up their demand for action over the donation embezzlement allegations. Ends
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