Congress Demands Supreme Court Probe Into Ram Temple Theft

The Indian National Congress has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of covering up a large-scale theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that individuals associated with the BJP and RSS are being shielded by the government while low-level staff are scapegoated.

Congress highlighted a discrepancy in recorded offerings, noting that while approximately 16 crore devotees visited between April 2025 and February 2026, recorded offerings totaled only Rs 82.78 crore. Ramesh further cited a 2020 private audit report that warned of systemic flaws, including missing donation tracking and unqualified accounting staff. Additional allegations include a 40% commission racket on construction contracts and the use of ghost workers, as reported by whistleblower engineer Dinanath Verma.

While a state-formed Special Investigation Team (SIT) acknowledged that cash was unauthorizedly removed from counting rooms 105 times, the opposition rejects the probe as a cover-up. The SIT previously claimed only 80 lakh rupees were stolen, a figure Congress disputes. The party is now demanding full public disclosure of all donation figures and contract bills since 2020, insisting on an impartial investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court.