KANPUR, July 9 -- Attacking the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress over the Ram temple donation controversy, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said after action had been taken against those responsible, there was no justification for defaming the entire Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust for the wrongdoing of a "handful" of individuals. He alleged the Samajwadi Party and the Congress were trying to malign Ayodhya and insult the legacy of Lord Ram over the case. Referring to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe, he said six people had been found involved in misappropriating donations and two others in the conspiracy, noting that an FIR had already been registered. Questioning the Opposition's criticism, Adityanath said, "When action has been taken against the accused, what is the justification for defaming the entire Trust, questioning Ayodhya and insulting the legacy of Lord Ram? It appears the Congress and the Samajwadi Party have taken a contract to attack India's faith." He was addressing a public meeting in Chitrakoot where he laid the foundation stone for and inaugurated development projects worth Rs 950 crore. "You must have heard the recent reports. The Congress and the Samajwadi Party suddenly became active. These are parties that have historically criticised Ayodhya, and they found an issue to exploit," he told the gathering. The chief minister said the Trust itself informed the government that it had received inputs about alleged theft during the counting of donations and requested the constitution of a high-level SIT. He said the alleged wrongdoing involved only a handful of individuals. "We accepted the Trust's recommendation and constituted a high-level SIT. The investigation was conducted, and the evidence showed that only six people were found stealing. "In addition, two other people were found to be part of the conspiracy, making a total of eight individuals. The SIT submitted its recommendations, following which the Trust lodged a First Information Report (FIR), and action was taken." Adityanath also referred to the firing on 'kar sevaks' during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement during the SP government in UP and said those who had "lathi-charged and opened fire on Ram devotees" had no moral authority to speak about Ayodhya. "If a Ram devotee or a resident of Chitrakoot speaks about Ayodhya, it should be welcomed. But today, the Congress and the Samajwadi Party are engaged in a conspiracy to defame Ayodhya and Lord Ram's legacy in the name of faith," he alleged. The chief minister also said that when the SP was in power, funds that could have been spent on the development of religious places such as Chitrakoot and the beautification of the Mandakini riverfront were used for constructing "boundary walls around kabristan (graveyards)". The chief minister also targeted the Congress over its stand in the Ram Setu case. "Recall the time when the Congress-led government was in power at the Centre and sought to demolish Ram Setu. In the Supreme Court, it filed an affidavit stating that Lord Ram was imaginary. It felt no shame in making such a claim about Lord Ram and Lord Krishna," he said. "If Lord Ram and Lord Krishna are imaginary, then what are Ayodhya, Chitrakoot, Shringverpur, Mathura, Vrindavan, Govardhan, Barsana and Panchavati? With what face are these people now talking about faith in Ayodhya?" he asked. He accused the SP of being more interested in "land grabs and contracts" than development and alleging that it had distanced itself from Lord Ram while treating Babur and Aurangzeb as its ideals, Invoking the Ramayana, Adityanath said socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia had once supported the organisation of Ramayana Melas across Uttar Pradesh, but claimed today's SP had abandoned that legacy. "They keep a distance from Lord Ram and regard Babur and Aurangzeb as their ideals," he alleged. He also hit out at the Opposition over the Waqf issue, alleging that "thousands of acres" of government, religious and poor people's land had been encroached upon in the name of Waqf. "When the verification of Waqf properties was undertaken and the Centre brought a law against this loot, the Congress and the Samajwadi Party opposed it. They remained silent when land was allegedly grabbed but launched protests when action was initiated," he said. He also contrasted the BJP government's record with that of previous administrations, saying projects such as the Bundelkhand Expressway and improved railway connectivity could have been completed earlier had previous governments prioritised the region. He claimed that Chitrakoot, once associated with fear because of dacoit activity, had now emerged as a centre of pilgrimage and development. Referring to the BJP's defeat in the Chitrakoot assembly seat in 2022 and the Banda-Chitrakoot Lok Sabha constituency in 2024, he said development would have progressed faster and Chitrakoot would have been shining like Ayodhya, Kashi and Prayagraj if the region had representatives aligned with the state government. Highlighting the Bundelkhand Defence Corridor, Adityanath said the project would attract major investment and create employment opportunities. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Indonesia, he said BrahMos missiles manufactured in Uttar Pradesh would be exported there. With agency inputs...