<p> She has also planned a “jackpot” prize of Rs 1 crore to be given to one of the lucky donors at a mega draw. <br /><br />Abhilasha, wife of Nandgopal Gupta, minister for institutional finance , has allegedly collected over Rs 2 crore for the renovation of a Shiva Temple in Bahadurganj area in Allahabad. <br /><br />There are allegations that Abhilasha had coerced people, many of whom are traders, into giving “generous donations” for the temple.<br /><br />She plans to hold an impressive function later on Sunday night in which a mega draw would also be held. One of the lucky winners would walk away with a prize of Rs 1 crore, sources said. Prizes worth several lakhs are also up for grabs, sources said.<br />The programme has raised many an eye brow in the city as well as in the state with opposition parties taking serious exception to the “forced subscriptions”.<br /><br />Samajwadi Party leader Reoti Raman Singh, member of parliament from Allahabad, alleged that several city traders have complained to him that they were forced into giving donations.<br /><br />“The minister is also involved in raising funds in the name of temple construction along with the local administration”, Singh alleged while speaking to Deccan Herald from Allahabad. <br /><br />“Lottery is prohibited in the state. It is surprising that the district administration has granted permission to hold such a function”, Singh added.<br /><br />The minister, when contacted, rubbished the allegations. “No one was forced to give donations...it is voluntary and proper receipts have been issued”, he claimed.<br />Only recently a PWD engineer was allegedly beaten to death by BSP MLA Shekhar Tewari and his aides in Auraiya town after he reportedly refused to pay a huge sum of money for Maya’s birthday celebrations.<br /><br />The Uttar Pradesh chief minister had directed party MLAs and ministers not to collect money for her birthday celebrations, after complaints of forced collections were received from several places.</p>
<p> She has also planned a “jackpot” prize of Rs 1 crore to be given to one of the lucky donors at a mega draw. <br /><br />Abhilasha, wife of Nandgopal Gupta, minister for institutional finance , has allegedly collected over Rs 2 crore for the renovation of a Shiva Temple in Bahadurganj area in Allahabad. <br /><br />There are allegations that Abhilasha had coerced people, many of whom are traders, into giving “generous donations” for the temple.<br /><br />She plans to hold an impressive function later on Sunday night in which a mega draw would also be held. One of the lucky winners would walk away with a prize of Rs 1 crore, sources said. Prizes worth several lakhs are also up for grabs, sources said.<br />The programme has raised many an eye brow in the city as well as in the state with opposition parties taking serious exception to the “forced subscriptions”.<br /><br />Samajwadi Party leader Reoti Raman Singh, member of parliament from Allahabad, alleged that several city traders have complained to him that they were forced into giving donations.<br /><br />“The minister is also involved in raising funds in the name of temple construction along with the local administration”, Singh alleged while speaking to Deccan Herald from Allahabad. <br /><br />“Lottery is prohibited in the state. It is surprising that the district administration has granted permission to hold such a function”, Singh added.<br /><br />The minister, when contacted, rubbished the allegations. “No one was forced to give donations...it is voluntary and proper receipts have been issued”, he claimed.<br />Only recently a PWD engineer was allegedly beaten to death by BSP MLA Shekhar Tewari and his aides in Auraiya town after he reportedly refused to pay a huge sum of money for Maya’s birthday celebrations.<br /><br />The Uttar Pradesh chief minister had directed party MLAs and ministers not to collect money for her birthday celebrations, after complaints of forced collections were received from several places.</p>