LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday announced that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe allegations of financial irregularities involving offerings made at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.The chief minister, while addressing the issue in Ayodhya, appealed to Ram devotees and political parties to avoid making “baseless comments” until the investigation is completed.Yogi said the state government acted after a request from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and assured that the probe would establish the facts.“My appeal to all Ram devotees is this: at the request of the trust, we have ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) inquiry. I can assure you that the SIT investigation will separate truth from falsehood. I request everyone and all parties involved to refrain from making baseless comments or statements that hurt the sentiments of Ram devotees. If anyone has any documentary evidence, they should kindly submit it to the SIT,” Yogi said.The three-member SIT was constituted on June 14 following a request from the temple trust to investigate the allegations.The team includes Vijay Vishwas Pant, IAS, Divisional Commissioner, Lucknow; Kiran S, IPS, IG (Range); and Neel Ratan, Special Secretary, Finance. The committee has been asked to submit its preliminary and final reports at the earliest.Adityanath said no one would be spared if found guilty.“If anyone is guilty, whoever they may be, they will not be spared–this is certain. What can these people teach us, those who treated Ram devotees in such a manner,” he said.The chief minister also urged people to wait for the SIT findings, saying devotees had waited centuries for the temple and could wait a little longer for the truth.“My fearless appeal to all Ram devotees is this: Lord Ram taught us the value of dignity and righteous conduct. We should uphold that dignity. We waited for 500 years; now wait another 15 days,” he said.He accused those spreading allegations without evidence of attempting to defame Ayodhya and the Ram Janmabhoomi temple.“Do not be misled by those who seek to defame Ayodhya and insult the Ram Janmabhoomi temple. These people never wanted Ayodhya to gain recognition, nor did they want it to receive respect. Today, through misinformation campaigns, they are trying to insult Ayodhya Dham, the foremost among our sacred pilgrimage cities,” he said.The controversy began after Samajwadi Party leader Pawan Pandey, a former MLA from Ayodhya, alleged that donations worth Rs 7 crore to Rs 7.5 crore made at the temple had been misappropriated.SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had demanded an impartial inquiry and alleged that the state government’s silence was suspicious. He also called for CCTV footage related to the matter to be made public.Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut had accused the BJP governments at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh of being responsible for the alleged misappropriation.The temple trust, however, rejected the allegations. Trust member Mahant Dinendra Das Maharaj said all transactions were properly recorded and processed transparently.“An SIT should also be formed to investigate someone’s record-breaking ‘Ayodhya’ visits,” Akhilesh Yadav said in a post on X, targeting Yogi Adityanath over his Ayodhya visits.Yogi said once the SIT submits its report, all sides would have an appropriate basis to present their views.“Let the investigation proceed. After the investigation, if any side has something to say, the SIT process will provide the appropriate basis for that. But do not unnecessarily attempt character assassination, and do not try to defame Ayodhya Dham without cause,” he said.