Akhilesh Yadav Demands Probe Into Ayodhya Ram Temple Donation Theft

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav launched a series of attacks on the Bharatiya Janata Party on July 9, 2026, over alleged donation irregularities at the Ayodhya Ram Temple. Following a meeting with spiritual leader Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati in Lucknow, Yadav characterized the theft of religious offerings as a great sin in Sanatan Dharma and accused a senior BJP leader of printing fake donation coupons.

Yadav demanded the dissolution and restructuring of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, the appointment of a new CEO, and the resignation of the temple trust treasurer. He called for a judicial investigation into land deals and the public release of call detail records for all temple employees, claiming such a probe would prove the majority of staff are linked to the BJP. He dismissed the government-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) as a whitewash, arguing that the resignations of former General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra should not serve as an escape from accountability.

In response, the temple Trust accepted the resignations of Rai and Mishra, appointing Krishna Mohan as interim general secretary. The SIT has already arrested eight individuals, including a driver named Tinnu Yadav. Uttar Pradesh government ministers rejected the allegations, with Minister Manoj Pandey and Minister O.P. Rajbhar accusing the Samajwadi Party of pursuing a negative agenda against Sanatan Dharma and lacking the spiritual standing to criticize the temple.