Congress accuses BJP of covering up Ayodhya temple donation theft

The Congress party has launched a series of allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath regarding alleged financial irregularities at the Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Congress leaders, including Jairam Ramesh and Mallikarjun Kharge, claim that donations and offerings intended for the temple have been misappropriated by individuals associated with the BJP, RSS, and Vishva Hindu Parishad.

Jairam Ramesh characterized the alleged theft as a ‘grave sin’ and questioned why the Prime Minister has remained silent on the matter, especially since he personally selected the temple trustees. The Congress party has demanded a fair and impartial investigation into the temple trust’s financial dealings, noting that significant sums, including ₹3,264 crore through the Nidhi Samarpan campaign, were collected.

In a separate address in Patna, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also called for the annulment of assembly elections held over the last two years and demanded a return to ballot papers. He accused the government of ‘vote chori’ (vote theft) in several states and criticized the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.