Ram Temple donations case: Congress seeks martial law, army probe

The Madhya Pradesh Congress on Wednesday demanded that the alleged embezzlement of donations meant for the Ayodhya Ram Temple be investigated by the army under martial law, claiming that conventional investigating agencies cannot conduct a fair and impartial probe into the sensitive case.

Addressing a joint press conference at the state Congress headquarters, former Madhya Pradesh minister P.C. Sharma and state Congress secretary Vikram Mastal alleged that the ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe has targeted only low-level employees involved in counting donation money, while those allegedly responsible for the scam remain untouched.

The party also demanded the immediate dissolution of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, accusing it of losing public credibility.

"Normal investigating agencies will not be able to conduct an impartial investigation in this sensitive matter. Therefore, the Congress demands that the investigation into the Ram Temple scam be handed over to the military (army) by imposing martial law in the entire region," Sharma and Mastal said.

The Congress leaders argued that only the Army could ensure a transparent investigation and bring the alleged masterminds to justice.

"Only the army can conduct a thorough, impartial investigation and expose these major culprits by sending them to jail and the gallows," they said.

They claimed that such an investigation was essential to restore public faith and prevent what they described as a "cruel joke" played on the sentiments of millions of Sanatan followers and Ram devotees.

Mastal said public confidence in existing institutions had eroded, asserting that the army remained the only institution trusted by people in the present circumstances.

"Just as the army's support and security were used in major scams like NEET, the army should also be entrusted with the investigation of this massive fund-stealing scam so that the truth can be revealed," he said.

The Congress leader also called for the immediate dissolution of the current Trust committee.

"The current committee of the Ram Temple Trust should be dissolved immediately because it has completely lost its integrity," Mastal said.

Questioning the direction of the investigation, Sharma alleged that the SIT was merely completing procedural formalities by arresting junior employees responsible for counting cash donations.

"Can people who merely count money commit such a massive scam?" he asked, while also questioning why no action had been taken against senior Trust functionaries, including general secretary Champat Rai.

The remarks come amid a political row over the ongoing probe into the alleged misappropriation of donations received by the Ayodhya Ram Temple Trust, with the opposition accusing investigators of shielding senior officials while focusing action on lower-level staff.

With PTI inputs