Ayodhya Ram Temple Theft Allegations Spark Political Clash Between Kejriwal, Yogi

Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal on Friday accused the Uttar Pradesh government of shielding influential persons in an alleged donation embezzlement case at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Speaking to reporters after offering prayers at the temple, Kejriwal claimed that a major theft had occurred, involving gold, silver, diamonds, and cash offerings made by devotees. He described the incident as a 'maha dacoity' and said 'very powerful demons' were involved.

Kejriwal criticised the police investigation, asserting that the accused themselves were controlling the process. He alleged that a 'fake' Special Investigation Team (SIT) had been constituted and that only minor functionaries had been named in the First Information Report (FIR). 'The very people who committed the theft have to take action. Obviously, they will not act against themselves,' he said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath responded sharply, accusing Kejriwal of neglecting Delhi during his tenure. 'The people of Delhi gave him opportunities for many years, but he gave nothing except corruption,' Adityanath said. He added that if Delhi received the same governance as Ayodhya under the 'double-engine' BJP government, it would also prosper.

The controversy follows an FIR lodged on Thursday against eight persons in connection with the alleged theft of temple donations. On Friday, a local court remanded all eight accused to judicial custody until June 29. The alleged irregularities first came to light when former Samajwadi Party MLA Pawan Pandey claimed that between Rs 7 crore and Rs 7.5 crore had been misappropriated.

Responding to the allegations, the Uttar Pradesh government on June 13 constituted a three-member SIT headed by Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, after the temple trust itself sought an inquiry. The SIT examined donation collection, counting, and storage procedures, scrutinised financial records, and recorded statements from nearly 150 individuals associated with the temple administration. Officials stated that the preliminary report recommended administrative reforms to improve transparency and accountability, though the full contents have not been made public.