VHP Urges Police to Question Opposition Leaders Over Ram Temple Theft

The Vishva Hindu Parishad has requested that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Ayodhya summon opposition leaders to verify claims of massive embezzlement at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir. VHP International President Alok Kumar urged investigators to question Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Arvind Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh, and Ram Gopal Yadav, arguing that the specific figures they cited—ranging from 200 crore to over 20,000 crore in gold, silver, and cash—suggest they possess factual evidence. Kumar stated that if these allegations are baseless, the leaders should face legal action for promoting enmity.

The investigation follows the registration of an FIR on June 25 and has already led to the arrest of eight individuals and the resignations of former trustee Anil Mishra and General Secretary Champat Rai. An Ayodhya court remanded all accused individuals to 14-day judicial custody on June 29.

In response, Congress leaders Rajendra Pal Gautam and Rajeev Shukla demanded that a sitting Supreme Court judge supervise the probe to ensure impartiality. Shukla claimed that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and VHP have already acknowledged that irregularities occurred. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party accused the Congress and Samajwadi Party of having no moral right to question the matter due to their historical opposition to the temple's construction. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav criticized the Uttar Pradesh government's oversight, while Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak accused opposition parties of politicizing the issue.