Cong questions Modi's silence on Ram temple donation theft case, seeks full account of offerings

• Congress demands an independent probe into alleged theft of Ram temple donations.

• Jairam Ramesh questions the SIT's clean chit to trust officials Champat Rai and Anil Mishra.

• The party seeks a full account of stolen cash and valuables and a probe under Supreme Court supervision.

The Congress on Monday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's “silence” over the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, demanding a full account of the offerings and an independent investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court.

Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh alleged that the investigation had failed to establish the extent of the alleged theft and that those in senior positions had escaped accountability. He demanded that the roles of all those responsible be investigated and no official be shielded.

In a post in Hindi on X, Ramesh said the BJP, which had risen to power invoking Lord Ram, would face political consequences over the alleged theft. He also alleged that the special investigation team (SIT) had been constituted in a manner that favoured those accused.

“The massive theft at the Lord Ram Temple in Ayodhya came to light on June 4, 2026. Nine days later, on June 13, 2026, the UP government—acting upon a request from the Trust—formed an SIT,” Ramesh said.

He claimed that the Uttar Pradesh Home Department submitted the final report to the temple trust on 17 August and that it gave a clean chit to Champat Rai and Anil Mishra. These claims were part of the Congress leader's allegations about the investigation.

Ramesh further alleged that the theft had been captured on camera 105 times. According to him, footage recorded between 27 April and 5 June showed staff members responsible for counting donations hiding bundles of currency notes.

He questioned why the total amount of money and the value of any precious items allegedly stolen had not been disclosed.

Citing a preliminary report dated 23 June, Ramesh said oversight protocols had not been followed and the control room had frequently been left unattended. He questioned how the investigation could be closed without disclosing the actual figures involved or establishing whether others were responsible.

“Low-level staff in jail, while those in high positions remain free,” he said.

According to Ramesh, an FIR was registered on 25 June and eight people involved in counting donations were arrested the following day. He questioned why no former office-bearer of the temple trust had been named in the FIR and why the Enforcement Directorate or Central Bureau of Investigation had not conducted what he described as rigorous interrogations.

Ramesh also cited concerns raised by saints in Ayodhya about the role of the trust's treasurer, Govind Giri, saying he ought to have been aware of the inflow and outflow of funds. He referred to Giri's reported statement on 7 July that Champat Rai had no role in the alleged scandal.

The Congress leader alleged that the investigation had focused on lower-level employees while failing to establish accountability among senior officials.

He said the party did not expect a BJP government to investigate people linked to the Sangh Parivar fairly and demanded that the case be investigated independently, impartially and transparently under the Supreme Court's supervision.

The Congress also called for the publication of a complete account of the temple's offerings and a thorough examination of the roles of all those responsible.

“More than four and a half months have passed since the theft of donations at the Lord Ram temple in Ayodhya came to light, yet Chief Minister Ajay Singh Bisht and Prime Minister Narendra Modi remain silent,” Ramesh said, using Adityanath's name at birth.

He urged citizens to hold those responsible accountable, alleging that the theft had taken place under the “arrogance of power”.

Earlier this month, the Congress had alleged that former general secretary of the Ram temple trust Champat Rai and others were being shielded in the investigation. It had also questioned the reported 21-day gap between the video of the alleged theft reaching Rai on 4 June and the registration of an FIR on 25 June.

Ramesh had asked whether the investigation was intended only to apprehend lower-level employees or also to establish accountability among those under whose watch the alleged theft occurred.

The Congress has repeatedly called for an impartial investigation under Supreme Court supervision, while questioning Modi's silence on the case. The allegations cited in the party's statements have not, by themselves, established criminal liability on the part of the individuals named.