The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is the parent organisation of both the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the BJP, its political wing.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, constituted by the Centre in February 2020 following a Supreme Court directive, manages the Ram Mandir and its assets. Though officially autonomous, the Trust has significant institutional overlap with the RSS and the VHP.
VHP vice-president Champat Rai, who resigned in the wake of allegations of donation theft at the Ram temple, has served as the Trust’s General Secretary since its inception. The Trust is expected to decide on the resignations of Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra at its meeting on July 7.
While the RSS has maintained public silence on the alleged donation theft, it is closely monitoring the case. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has deputed senior functionaries, including Anil Kumar, to Ayodhya. Sources said they will submit a separate report to Bhagwat after consultations with saints and other stakeholders.
Those familiar with the developments say the alleged financial irregularities at the revered Ayodhya temple, which paved the BJP’s political journey, have not only triggered a political controversy and embarrassed the saffron party but have also exposed internal tensions within the Sangh. Although the RSS has publicly stayed away from the controversy, insiders say the responsibility lies with those overseeing the functioning of the Trust.
While they vouch for Champat Rai’s personal integrity, they also believe that someone must be held accountable. According to a senior RSS functionary, if Champat Rai had to step down, “it should have happened much earlier”. The leader admitted that the RSS leadership was “deeply distressed” because the issue struck at the heart of its decades-long cultural project. “It is embarrassing that the alleged financial misappropriation happened under Champat Rai, a Sangh pracharak,” the leader said.
While sections of the VHP and the Trust initially dismissed the allegations as politically motivated, the matter gathered momentum only after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath adopted an uncompromising stand, the leader said.
In a rare departure from the Sangh’s tradition of presenting a united front, VHP Working President Alok Kumar publicly acknowledged that the episode had deeply hurt Hindu sentiments.
The controversy has revived the debate over temple autonomy, an issue on which the Sangh has consistently opposed government control. Sources said preparations are underway to introduce a new administrative structure for the Trust, with a final decision likely after consultations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Alok Kumar recently spoke of creating a CEO-like administrative structure to manage the temple’s affairs alongside the trustees but reportedly declined to comment on whether a new General Secretary would be appointed at the next Trust meeting.
He also accused Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav of attempting to “defame” the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and questioned his efforts to develop Ayodhya during his tenure.
For the BJP, which transformed the Ram Janmabhoomi movement into a political force and fulfilled its long-standing promise of building the temple under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the controversy carries significant political risks.