Congress Targets PM Modi Over Alleged Ram Temple Donation Scam, Seeks Supreme Court Supervised Investigation
Congress has accused the Prime Minister of remaining silent over alleged financial irregularities at the Ayodhya Ram Temple and has demanded an independent investigation.
The political controversy surrounding the alleged misuse of donations at the Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya has intensified, with the Congress party accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of remaining silent on an issue that it says has hurt the faith of millions of devotees.
On Tuesday, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh questioned why the Prime Minister had not responded to the allegations. He claimed that the Central government created the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust without a transparent selection process or public consultation. He also alleged that the trust includes members linked to the RSS and is not covered under the Right to Information Act. Ramesh called on the Prime Minister to address the issue publicly.
The criticism came after Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajai Rai said he was detained by police after reaching Ayodhya. According to Rai, a Congress delegation had planned to visit the Ram Temple on June 30 to offer prayers and seek blessings. He alleged that the state government prevented the visit because it feared public scrutiny. The Congress has demanded that the Supreme Court monitor the investigation and has also called for the dissolution of the temple trust.
The case has gained further attention after the Faizabad Bar Association announced that its members would not represent the eight people arrested in connection with the alleged scam. The association has also demanded that the Central Bureau of Investigation take over the case.
The eight accused were arrested after a Special Investigation Team launched an inquiry on June 13 following a request from the temple trust. Those arrested are Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lav Kush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ram Shankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava, and Ramashankar, also known as Tinnu Yadav.
Opposition parties have argued that only lower level individuals have been arrested while those allegedly responsible for the larger wrongdoing have not faced action. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav also criticised the BJP, urging supporters of the Sanatan faith to hold the party accountable.
The BJP has defended the action taken so far. The party said the decision of the Faizabad Bar Association not to represent the accused reflects strong public sentiment. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has assured that the accused will face strict punishment and that the investigation will be completed without delay.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court declined to hear the matter urgently. Justices M M Sundresh and Sheel Nagu said the petition would be taken up after the court resumes following its summer break on July 13.