The Congress party intensified its attack on the Centre over the alleged theft of offerings at the Bhagwan Shri Ram Temple, accusing the Narendra Modi government of shielding those responsible and demanding an independent investigation supervised by the Supreme Court.
In a post on social media platform X on Sunday, Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh said it had been a month had passed since the alleged theft of temple offerings came to light but Prime Minister Narendra Modi remained silent on the issue of accountability. “It has been a month since the alleged theft of offerings at the Bhagwan Shri Ram Temple came to light. Yet Prime Minister Modi—who is quick to take credit for everything—has remained silent when it comes to accountability,” he said.
The Congress leader alleged that new facts were emerging every day, exposing those who had pursued politics in the name of the Ram Temple. He further claimed that even the Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted to probe the controversy, had reportedly acknowledged that offerings worth lakhs of rupees had been going missing on a daily basis.
“The alleged theft of offerings at the Bhagwan Shri Ram Temple cannot be limited to a few employees alone. Despite this, this government, which has betrayed Lord Ram, is busy protecting the real culprits,” he alleged.
Ramesh reiterated the Congress’s charge that the SIT, the FIR and the resignations made in connection with the case were merely attempts to mislead the public rather than ensure genuine accountability.
He further alleged that the government’s efforts to suppress the issue suggested that Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and other temple trustees possessed “deep secrets”, claiming that this was the reason no action had been initiated against them and their influence remained intact. Ramesh did not provide evidence to support these allegations.
Calling for greater transparency, the Congress leader demanded an independent and impartial investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court, a forensic audit of the temple’s finances, the fixing of accountability and stringent action against those found guilty.
Addressing the Prime Minister directly, Ramesh asked, “Why this silence?” and alleged that the BJP and the RSS had betrayed public faith in the name of religion under the protection of the Modi government. He claimed that the people of the country would not forgive what he described as a systematic betrayal of trust.
The BJP and the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust have previously rejected allegations of any cover-up and have maintained that the matter is being addressed in accordance with the law. The alleged irregularities relating to temple offerings have sparked a political controversy, with the Opposition demanding a court-monitored investigation and greater transparency in the management of donations while the authorities continue their probe.