Andhra Congress Demands Judicial Probe into Ayodhya Ram Temple Donation Irregularities

The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has called for a judicial inquiry into alleged financial irregularities involving donations to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Speaking at a press conference, APCC vice-president Kolanukonda Shivaji questioned the silence of state NDA leaders, including Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan, on the matter.

Shivaji alleged that the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust had misused devotees' contributions amounting to hundreds of crores of rupees. He demanded the arrest and prosecution of the Trust's general secretary, Champat Rai. Opposing a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe, he argued that only an inquiry by a sitting High Court judge would ensure transparency and accountability.

The Congress leader cited judicial oversight in the management of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple, Puri Jagannath temple, and Sabarimala temple as precedents for similar intervention in the Ayodhya temple. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to order a judicial probe headed by a sitting judge.

Shivaji also criticized Prime Minister Modi's silence on the issue, noting that Modi had personally overseen the Ram Temple project from foundation to consecration. Additionally, he congratulated Rahul Gandhi on completing two years as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

In separate remarks, Shivaji demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET UG 2026 paper leak and called for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to be brought under a legally recognised regulatory framework. He urged RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to clarify the organisation's legal status.