Ayodhya Ram Temple donation scandal fuels BJP power‑struggle claims

A Special Investigation Team was constituted on June 15 to probe allegations that cash and jewellery donated to the Ram temple in Ayodhya were misappropriated by officials of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra Trust. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said the controversy reveals a "power struggle" between the BJP and the Uttar Pradesh government, accusing party leaders of compromising devotees’ faith. He told a press conference, "Our faith and devotion are being toyed with," and argued that the SIT probe, rather than a central agency, demonstrates internal rivalries. Yadav also criticised BJP national president Nitin Nabin’s recent visit to Lucknow, alleging it highlighted friction within the ruling establishment. The dispute has drawn public attention to the management of one of India's most prominent religious institutions and to broader political tensions in the state.

The debate has been framed against a historical folk tale of a priest‑turned‑thief seeking a vision of Lord Rama, underscoring how the alleged financial irregularities strike at the heart of public faith and political accountability in the region.