The Congress on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of shielding those responsible for the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, demanding an impartial investigation into the case.
Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh urged Modi to break his silence on the issue, alleging that the government was attempting to suppress the matter instead of ensuring accountability.
In a post on X, Ramesh questioned the appointment of trustees linked to the BJP, RSS and VHP, asking why the prime minister had not ordered a comprehensive probe despite the alleged theft taking place under their watch.
Citing figures attributed to the RSS and the Ram temple trust, Ramesh said Rs 3,264 crore had been collected through the Nidhi Samarpan Abhiyan in 2021 and other corpus donations.
He also questioned the reported collection of Rs 82.78 crore in offerings between April 1, 2025, and February 28, 2026, despite crores of devotees visiting Ayodhya. According to figures cited by him, 13.55 crore devotees visited the temple town in the first nine months of 2024, while around 10 crore more visited during the Maha Kumbh in 2025.
Ramesh sought details of the total donations collected, the amount deposited in donation boxes and the value of the offerings allegedly stolen.
He also questioned why the Special Investigation Team (SIT) had reportedly put the stolen amount at only Rs 80 lakh and whether offerings made by nearly 30 crore devotees had been properly accounted for.
Referring to Temple Construction Committee chairman Nripendra Misra's reported description of the incident as “daylight robbery”, Ramesh asked why the government had not ordered a thorough and impartial investigation.
The Congress leader said the party would continue to pursue the matter if Modi remained silent, adding that those responsible must be held accountable under the Constitution.
The opposition party has repeatedly targeted the BJP over the case, alleging that former Ram temple trust general secretary Champat Rai and others were being shielded in the investigation. It has also questioned the 21-day delay in registering an FIR after a video concerning the alleged theft reportedly reached Rai on June 4.
The Congress has called for a transparent investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court, alleging that the SIT's probe has failed to address key questions.
The attack comes ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections scheduled for early next year.
(With inputs from PTI)