On Sunday, November 10th, Congress leader Kamru Zzaman Choudhury stirred controversy during a debate on Times Now regarding the funds allocated by Uttar Pradesh for the upcoming Maha Kumbh. During the discussion, Kamru suggested selling temple gold to help clear the nation's debt.
Kamru criticized the allocation of funds for the Maha Kumbh, arguing that the event had been held long before the establishment of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). We respect the Maha Kumbh. But the problem is, in the name of the Maha Kumbh and the Ram Mandir, thousands of crores have been siphoned off by the organisers.” When Times Now anchor Pranesh Kumar Roy pressed him about the allegations and requested evidence, he responded defensively.
Congress leader Kamru Zzaman Choudhury proposed to sell Temple Gold, failed to acknowledge land geab by Waqf Board, sparked controversy (Image: Dall-E/Kamru Zzaman Choudhury/Facebook)
Roy then confronted Kamru, seeking his opinion on the widespread land grabbing by Waqf Boards across the country. Kamru consistently avoided the question, insisting that the situation at the Waqf Board was entirely different from that in Hindu temples. He maintained that there was no wrongdoing taking place at the Waqf Boards.
In an effort to steer the conversation away from the Waqf Board and land-grabbing issue, Kamru unexpectedly proposed that selling all the gold in temples could make India debt-free. This remark infuriated BJP National Spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari, who called for an apology from Kamru, but none was given. In a post on X, Bhandari said, “Shocking! “Mandiro main itna Sona hai ki isko bech de” Congress officially says it wants to snatch the Gold that belongs to our temples and sell the gold! Congress has eyes on looting our temples! This is what Mughals did in past. Congress is Dangerous!”
When Roy asked the other panellists for their opinions on Kamru’s statement, SP’s IP Singh deflected the question and diverted the discussion to a completely different topic.
In the course of the debate, SP’s IP Singh presented dubious reasoning to back his assertion that the Maha Kumbh is a scam. He highlighted a number of ongoing projects and argued that, due to their incompletion, similar questions should be raised about the Maha Kumbh. He claimed, “The way money was looted in the name of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and the Ghats in Banaras, around 50% of the money allotted for the Maha Kumbh is being looted.”
Kamru raised similar concerns during the debate, accusing the government of a "land scam" in Ayodhya and claiming it was never investigated. The controversy surrounding the alleged land scam involves the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust purchasing land from Ansari for Rs 18.5 crore, after he had bought it from Kusum Pathak for Rs 2 crore. AAP and SP alleged price inflation, pointing out that both transactions were registered on the same day. However, evidence shows the original sale agreement between Kusum and Ansari was made in 2019, well before land prices surged following the Ayodhya verdict. The trust's acquisition was transparent, legal, and ensured no title disputes, refuting the scam allegations.
Rashtriya Ulama Council Spokesperson Adv Talha Rashidi joined in, making further accusations. He questioned why the Waqf Board was being discussed in the debate, given it is a body established by Parliament. He also criticized the BJP for raising concerns about appeasement politics, pointing out that similar appeasement occurs during events like the Kanwar Yatra and Rakshabandhan. Additionally, he questioned the opposition to Muslim reservations in Maharashtra.
Interestingly, Rashidi overlooked the fact that most large Hindu temples are under government control, and some of the funds from these temples are allocated to welfare schemes. When Roy asked why it would be a problem if part of the temple funds were used for Hindu festivals, Rashidi had no response.
Information on Maha Kumbh 2025
The Maha Kumbh, a 45-day religious event held every 12 years along the Ganga banks in Prayagraj, will begin on January 14, 2025. The projected budget for the event is approximately Rs 6,382 crore, with over Rs 5,600 crore allocated by October 2024. During the previous Maha Kumbh, held 12 years ago under the Samajwadi Party's leadership, the budget was Rs 1,152 crore, and around 12 crore people attended the event. This time, reports suggest that the number of attendees could reach 40 crore. Funds are being allocated for the construction of 1.45 lakh toilets, temporary parking lots, CCTV surveillance, tents, and other essential infrastructure. The event is expected to generate an influx of around Rs 1.2 lakh crore into the state's economy.
Comentários