New Delhi, 02 July—Irrespective of who is responsible for the alleged embezzlement of donations from the coffers of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya, this seems to be a ‘Bofors moment’ for the opposition as it today stepped up their attack on the BJP and the RSS demanding a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the alleged “Chanda Chori mega scandal.
While Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal accusing the ruling and its affiliates of “looting” Lord Ram, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal sought a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the alleged “Chanda Chori mega scandal”.
In a post on X, Sibal said, “VHP, BJP, Bajrang Dal — ‘Ram ke naam pe vote to lenge, fir Ram ko hi woh looteinge (They will seek votes in the name of Ram and then loot Ram himself).”
“Asli Hindu ye kya jaane, ye to farzi Hindu hain (What do they know of real Hindus, they are fake Hindus),” the Independent Rajya Sabha MP said.
Sibal, a senior advocate, alleged that the organisations sought votes in the name of Lord Ram.
While rumours of theft and loot of the donations from the donation boxes of the temple were in circulation for quite some time but the alleged embezzlement came to light after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government submitted its preliminary findings, following which an FIR was registered on June 25.
In Venugopal’s letter to Modi, he said a “fraud of this magnitude” which involves allegations stretching into hundreds of crores, is a “monumental betrayal” of the Hindu faith, religion, and way of life.
“Lord Ram is revered as the embodiment of justice and righteousness. Allowing allegations of this nature to be buried, rather than impartially investigated, would be a profound injustice to his devotees and to the values he embodies,” the Congress general secretary in-charge organisation said.
“I am writing to you to express the deep anguish and outrage of millions of Indians regarding the shocking revelations of massive financial fraud, theft, and embezzlement of donations at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The offerings made by ordinary citizens — who contributed their hard-earned life savings out of profound faith and reverence for Lord Ram — have been shamelessly looted, striking at the very sanctity of a place held sacred by millions,” Venugopal, who heads the key Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, said.
The ongoing preliminary investigations have exposed a highly organised racket operating right under the nose of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, he alleged.
The systemic lapses at every level make it clear that this loot was enabled by institutional support, the Congress leader said.
“On one hand, the counting staff bypassed regular surveillance to siphon off bundles of cash and valuable jewellery on a daily basis; on the other, 7 to 8 months of crucial CCTV footage was deliberately destroyed to cover the tracks of this criminal enterprise. This clearly indicates that this loot goes beyond the work of a few rogue employees, and is a scam orchestrated with the complicity of the higher-ups instead,” Venugopal alleged.
“Simultaneously, we are learning that complaints of embezzlement and theft were either ignored or actively suppressed. The Trust’s former Chief Accounts Officer, who flagged these systematic irregularities as early as 2020-21 and warned that unaccounted gold and silver ornaments were being spirited away, was unceremoniously removed from his duties instead of being heard,” he said.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government on June 13, followed by the FIR registered on June 25, appears to be little more than an “eyewash”, Venugopal alleged in his letter to Modi.
“So far, only the ‘small fish’ — drivers, clerks, and outsourced cashiers — have been arrested, while the institutional support and chain of command that enabled the brazen loot remain untouched. A state-appointed SIT is neither equipped nor institutionally independent to investigate individuals wielding immense political and institutional influence,” he asserted.
There is a growing apprehension that the investigation is being used to erase the remaining evidence while shielding the “big fish” who allegedly orchestrated this multi-crore embezzlement, he said.
“This scandal warrants the highest level of accountability because the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is a public trust constituted by the Government of India in 2020. Its very creation took place under the direct supervision of the Government, and the land was vested in the Trust pursuant to the Supreme Court’s judgment,” he said.
“It is, therefore, the moral responsibility of the Government – and of you, as its head — to restore the faith of over 1.4 billion Indians in the Government’s intent and ability to safeguard donations and preserve the sanctity of an institution established in the name of Lord Ram,” Venugopal said.
“Therefore, I strongly demand your immediate intervention in this matter to order a free and fair investigation by a high-level independent agency under the strict supervision of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India,” he said in his letter.
Sharing the letter on X, Venugopal said the “massive Chanda Chori” at the Ayodhya Ram Temple has shaken the nation.
Veteran Journalist and Political Commentator
