Congress demands SIT on Kedarnath Temple's alleged gold-plating scam

Alleging organized tax evasion in the ongoing row over the gold-plating at the sanctum sanctorum of the Kedarnath Temple, Congress leader Ganesh Godiyal has demanded the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case. Godiyal, the former president of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC), questioned the temple management for providing the donor with a tax exemption certificate "without checking the gold."

Why does this story matter?

Recently, some video clips went viral on social media that claimed that the gold-plating at the sanctum sanctorum of Kedarnath Temple in Uttarakhand is actually brass. Some videos showed workers with tin cans that had "gold wash" printed on the lids. Another video showed workers sitting on parts of the gold-plated material and examining them. The temple management has termed it a "conspiracy."

'Gold' discolored in 2005: Godiyal

Pointing fingers at the current temple committee, Godiyal said, "When the color of the gold had once faded in 2005, how did the temple committee give a tax exemption certificate to the donor this time without checking the gold?"

Businessman offered 500kg gold for tax exemption certificate: Godiyal

Godiyal claimed that during his tenure as the temple committee chief, a businessman offered to donate 500kg of gold in exchange for an income tax exemption certificate. The businessman purportedly told Godiyal that he had given 50kg of gold to the temple committee in 2005 but had to bear the loss as he didn't get a tax exemption certificate.

Businessman was asked to provide MMTC-certified gold: Godiyal

Godiyal added that on reaching Badrinath temple, he found that the gold-plating on the outer pillars of the sanctum sanctorum had turned into brass. Following this, the businessman was asked to donate gold certified by the government-owned Minerals and Metals Trading Corporation (MMTC), Godiyal said. He stated that, upon being confronted with the condition, the businessman withdrew his statement.

Gold-plating done after permission from state government: BKTC president

Godiyal accused the temple committee of giving a tax exemption certificate to the businessman in lieu of donating 23kg of gold, despite the quality of gold being in question earlier. Meanwhile, BKTC president Ajendra Ajay said that permission was sought from the state government for the donor to gold-encrust the sanctum sanctorum, which was done under the supervision of the Archeological Survey of India.