Ram temple donation theft: Congress demands Supreme Court-monitored probe, targets BJP

The Congress on Monday (October 19, 2026) criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for what it described as their "silence" over the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, and demanded an independent, Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the matter.

In a post in Hindi on X, Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh wrote: "'Chanda chori, aastha dhokha. Ram ke naam se satta paayi, chanda chori par chuppi chaayi'" — a couplet that translates roughly to "theft of offerings, betrayal of faith; power won in Ram's name, silence over the theft of offerings." Mr. Ramesh said the BJP, which he said rose to power by invoking the name of Lord Ram, would face a reckoning over the episode.

Setting out a timeline, Mr. Ramesh said the alleged theft at the Ayodhya temple came to light on June 4, 2026. Nine days later, on June 13, the Uttar Pradesh government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) at the request of the temple trust. On August 17, the Home Department submitted its final report to the same trust, which, he said, gave a clean chit to Champat Rai and Anil Mishra. He alleged that the SIT had been constituted in a manner that suited the very individuals accused.

Citing camera footage, Mr. Ramesh said recordings between April 27 and June 5, 2026, showed staff members tasked with counting funds hiding bundles of currency notes, and that the alleged theft had been captured on camera 105 times. He also referred to a preliminary report dated June 23, which, he said, clearly indicated that oversight protocols were not being followed and that the control room was frequently left unattended.

"Why has there been no investigation into who else was involved or held responsible? How could the investigation be closed without ever disclosing the actual figures regarding the theft?" he asked, adding that the country had still not been told the total amount of money or the value of precious items allegedly taken.

Mr. Ramesh said an FIR was registered on June 25 and eight people involved in the counting process were arrested the following day, but that no former office-bearer of the trust was named in it. He asked why the Enforcement Directorate or the Central Bureau of Investigation had not carried out rigorous interrogation in the case. "Low-level staff in jail, while those in high positions remain free," he said.

Referring to the temple's treasurer, Govind Giri, Mr. Ramesh said saints in Ayodhya had pointed out that the treasurer ought to have been aware of the inflow and outflow of funds, yet on July 7 Mr. Giri had said Mr. Rai had no role in the alleged scandal. The Congress leader also linked the BJP's defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha election in Ayodhya to public anger over the issue.

Demanding that a full account of all offerings be made public, that the roles of all those responsible be examined, and that no official be shielded from accountability, Mr. Ramesh said the Congress wants the entire matter investigated in an "independent, impartial and transparent manner, under the supervision of the Supreme Court."

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, constituted in 2020 on the directions of the Supreme Court, manages the temple, which was consecrated in January 2024 and receives large volumes of cash and valuables as offerings from devotees. The allegations levelled by the Congress are political in nature and require verification; the report cited here does not include a response from the BJP, the temple trust, or the officials named by Mr. Ramesh.