NEW DELHI, October 19, 2026 – Escalating its political offensive over the alleged Ram temple donation theft case in Ayodhya, the Congress party on Monday strongly questioned the “silence” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Spearheading the attack, Congress General Secretary in-charge of Communications, Jairam Ramesh, demanded that a full and transparent accounting of the temple offerings be made public. Asserting that no official should be shielded from accountability, the opposition party has called for an independent, impartial, and transparent investigation under the direct supervision of the Supreme Court.
In a sharp statement, Ramesh alleged that a Special Investigation Team (SIT)—formed by the UP government on June 13 upon a request from the Temple Trust—granted a “clean chit” to senior figures, including Champat Rai and Anil Mishra. He pointed out that while eight low-level staff members involved in the counting process were arrested following an FIR registered on June 25, no former office-bearer of the Trust was named.
“The theft was captured on camera 105 times. Footage recorded between April 27 and June 5, 2026, shows staff members—tasked with counting the funds—hiding bundles of currency notes,” Ramesh claimed. He questioned why top-tier investigative agencies like the CBI or ED have not conducted rigorous interrogations regarding the missing funds.
The Congress leader further alleged that the actual extent of the theft remains hidden from the public, as the total amount of missing money and the value of stolen precious items have not been disclosed. He also questioned the 21-day delay in filing the FIR after video evidence reportedly reached senior Trust officials on June 4.
Ramesh argued that a preliminary report dated June 23 clearly indicated that oversight protocols were severely compromised and the control room was frequently left unattended. “More than four and a half months have passed since the theft of donations at the Lord Ram temple in Ayodhya came to light, yet Chief Minister Ajay Singh Bisht (Yogi Adityanath) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi remain silent,” he stated, adding that it is now up to the citizens to hold the “arrogance of power” accountable.
The opposition party emphasized that only a Supreme Court-monitored probe can reveal the truth, questioning whether the current investigation’s objective was merely to catch petty thieves or to fix accountability on those under whose patronage the events transpired.
Published by True Roots Media Network