Pinarayi Vijayan Demands Supreme Court-Monitored Probe into Ayodhya Temple Donation Case

Kerala Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday called for an independent investigation supervised by the Supreme Court into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Temple, stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who presided over the temple's consecration, owes an explanation to the nation.

In a Facebook post, Vijayan alleged that those who exploited people's faith for political gains now face accusations of organised financial fraud. He pointed out that the trust managing the temple was formed by a Union government order placed before Parliament and that its trustees are connected to the top leadership of the Sangh Parivar organisations.

The Ayodhya temple fund embezzlement case, according to Vijayan, is the latest example illustrating the true nature of Sangh Parivar politics. He demanded that the trust and its leaders clarify where the money collected through donations has gone.

The First Information Report (FIR) in the case alleges a coordinated theft operation involving temple personnel and cash-counting staff who systematically pilfered cash from donation boxes and hid temple valuables during counting and sorting phases. A special investigation team found that the accused intentionally obstructed the views of security cameras while processing donations.

Among those arrested is Rama Shankar Yadav, described as a close aide of Champat Rai, the general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and a key figure in the temple agitation. Rai has been a member of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) for over four decades.

The case has sparked a political row, with the opposition demanding a thorough probe, while the ruling party has dismissed the allegations as motivated. The government has yet to respond to the call for a Supreme Court-monitored investigation.