New Delhi: The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has urged Uttar Pradesh Police and the Special Investigation Team – both of which are probing the misappropriation of funds in the Ayodhya Ram Temple – to record statements made by public figures, including members of the Opposition, about the controversy, and ask them to furnish proof for these allegations.The VHP had written to the SIT on Saturday (July 4), according to a report by The Hindu. In its letter, it allegedly urged the SIT to record the statements of Opposition leaders who have publicly alleged large-scale financial irregularities at the temple as they ‘seemed to know several details’.VHP president’s letter to UP PoliceIn a letter to Ashutosh Tiwari, Ayodhya’s Deputy Superintendent of Police, VHP president Alok Kumar wrote on Saturday, July 4, that the VHP had come across “several statements” made by public figures that were in turn circulated widely by television channels, social media platforms and other electronic media.Kumar listed the comments of Member of Parliament (MP) and General Secretary of the Samajwadi Party Ram Gopal Yadav, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, MP Sanjay Singh and Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.Also read: Champat Rai, Anil Mishra, Gopal Rao May Go to Jail: Bajrang Dal FounderThese people have publicly made “specific allegations” and have even mentioned definite figures, including allegations involving amounts exceeding Rs. 20,000 crores, he wrote. “Be that as it may, the allegations made by the above named and other persons lead one to believe that they are acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case,” Kumar alleged.He claimed that in order to ensure “a fair, comprehensive and impartial investigation”, the Uttar Pradesh police should record the statements of these people under the applicable provisions of law, and ask them to disclose the factual basis of these allegations, the source of their information and all documents or other material in their possession supporting such allegations.“Should any of the aforesaid persons furnish credible material in support of their allegations, the same would undoubtedly assist the investigating agency in discovering the truth. Conversely, if upon examination it is found that any person made such serious public allegations without possessing any factual basis or supporting material, that circumstance would also constitute a relevant aspect of the investigation,” he wrote.If these statements are found to be “knowingly false” or to have been made without any supporting basis, the investigating agency should consider taking legal action against them, Kumar said, adding that people should not be permitted to make “wild allegations that tend to create and promote feelings of hatred, ill will and enmity and get away with it”.Letter to SIT on July 4The VHP had already written to the SIT on Saturday (July 4) urging it to record the statements of Opposition leaders who have publicly alleged large-scale financial irregularities at the temple to probe their allegations. As per a report by The Hindu, the VHP had claimed that the allegations made by leaders including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Arvind Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh and Ram Gopal Yadav will make people believe that they are “acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case”.Also read: Theft in Ram Temple First Detected and Reported in 2021, Trust Removed the Whistleblower InsteadThe VHP has demanded that the SIT record the statements of these Opposition members to clarify “the factual basis of allegations made by them”, “the source of their information”, “all documents or other materials in their possession supporting such allegations”.The Hindu reported that Congress general secretary and Lok Sabha member Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had described the allegations on Ram Temple donation theft, as “tragic” and “shameful”.People from across the country had contributed to the temple out of faith, she told journalists in Kerala’s Wayanad. “People from all over the country, those who believe and those who have faith, gave donations, and now those donations have been stolen. It is tragic, it is shameful, and the government needs to inquire into what has happened, how it has happened, and why it has happened,” The Hindu reported her as saying.