The Congress on Saturday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence over the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya and demanded the immediate arrest of those behind the alleged "scam".
Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Congress spokesperson Akhilesh Prasad Singh said the entire case should be investigated under the supervision of a sitting Supreme Court judge because the alleged corruption was "deep-rooted".
He also demanded the immediate arrest of those in the trust against whom serious allegations have been made and called for the trust to be dissolved, saying it had lost the "people's trust".
The alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple has become a major political controversy after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) uncovered lapses in the shrine's donation management system. Eight people associated with counting cash and valuables have been arrested in connection with the case.
Singh alleged that the episode showed BJP leaders were not "true Ram bhakts" because they had failed to uphold Lord Ram's 'maryada' by not ordering an investigation themselves.
"The country wants to know why Prime Minister Narendra Modi is silent on such a big issue... Prime Minister Narendra Modi should step forward to ensure a fair investigation of this case, so that people's faith remains intact," he said.
"All this has proved that they are not Ram bhakts. Had they been Ram bhakts, they would have maintained Lord Ram's 'maryada' and given strict instructions for an independent investigation in the supervision of the Supreme Court, as this trust was formed on SC directions," Singh said.
Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh invoked a dialogue from the Hindi film Upkaar to attack the BJP.
"Dete hain bhagwan ko dhokha, insaan ko kya chhodenge... (They trick God, would they spare humans...). These lines from the well-known film 'Upkaar' are entirely accurate for the thieves of Shri Ram Mandir and their protectors. When there are grand claims of faith, patriotism, and morality, but silence on accountability — For them, 'Oaths, promises, patriotism, loyalty' all are just words, what's to their words'," he said in a post on X.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra described the alleged embezzlement as "really tragic" and shameful.
"The people from all over the country, those who believe and those who have faith, gave donations and now those donations have been stolen. I think it is tragic. I think it is shameful and the government needs to inquire into what has happened, how it has happened and why it has happened," she told reporters in Wayanad.
Priyanka said the donations had been collected from people across the country as part of a fundraising drive. "So who's responsible? If you collected them, it's your responsibility to keep them safe," she noted.
Singh reiterated that the Ram Mandir Trust had lost the confidence of the public and should therefore be dissolved.
"It is strange why no arrest has been made so far. If an opposition leader is involved, the ED and CBI arrest all such leaders claiming that if they remain out they can influence the trial. Is the ED, CBI only meant for the opposition? Are those involved in the scam in Ayodhya not influencing the probe," he asked.
He alleged that the Ram Mandir Trust had appointed agencies to audit and scrutinise its finances, but ignored several recommendations they made.
"When the incidents of theft began to be revealed. When the temple's cash counting agent Mahipal Singh publicly disclosed several matters, he was removed from his position. When further revelations started coming to light, the CCTV cameras were removed and the camera recordings were deleted. After the SIT's report in this matter, FIRs were filed against some people, but it only included the names of minor employees," he said.
Singh said the Congress had been raising concerns about the issue for a long time, but they were ignored.
He claimed that while Champat Rai, general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, had initially said there were no significant irregularities, a senior member of the trust later described the episode not as corruption but as "looting".
"This is an extremely serious issue, because this case is connected to the faith of millions of Indians, who have donated to the Ram Temple with devotion and trust, but the trust toyed with people's emotions and engaged in rampant looting," he said.
(With inputs from PTI)
