Ram Temple donation theft scandal draws political accusations in India

The BJP’s national spokesperson alleged that a suspect in the Ram Janmabhoomi temple embezzlement case had phone contacts with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, while the Vishwa Hindu Parishad called for inquiries into statements by opposition leaders.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticised the BJP‑RSS ecosystem, branding the alleged misappropriation of “thousands of crores” as a three‑pronged “vote chori, seat chori, chanda chori” strategy and demanded a Supreme Court‑led probe. He also linked similar donation irregularities to the Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines, where the temple committee has formed an inquiry panel.

Opposition figures such as Digvijaya Singh have petitioned courts for transparency over Ram Temple contributions, prompting a VHP response that labelled his claims “highly irresponsible”. The Uttar Pradesh Special Investigation Team, set up after an FIR on 25 June, has arrested eight accused and recovered about ₹80 lakh in cash and some foreign currency.

The controversy continues to dominate political discourse ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, with both parties accusing each other of exploiting the issue for electoral gain.