Ram temple donation case: Congress questions RSS, questions why agencies are silent on ‘big thieves’

Uttar Pradesh CLP leader Aradhana Misra addressing the media on the Ram Temple fund theft issue in New Delhi on July 4, 2026. | Photo credit: RV Moorthy

The Congress continued its attack on the Narendra Modi government over the alleged misappropriation of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya and on Saturday (July 4, 2026) asked why the central investigating agencies did not act against the “big thieves” in the case.

The party also said that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) cannot absolve itself of responsibility by merely issuing a statement.

Uttar Pradesh Congress Legislature Party President Aradhana Misra at a press conference dismissed RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale’s statement on the alleged theft of offerings at the temple as “crocodile tears”.

Ms Misra said that while “they (Congress) worshiped Lord Ram, the BJP were traders and traded in the name of Lord Ram”. She alleged that the BJP and RSS are now trying to distance themselves from the controversy through a “written statement” and questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the matter.

Ms. Misra said that senior officials of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust were associated with the RSS and that the alleged tender thefts were taking place under their watch. She named Champat Rai, Anil Mishra and Gopal Rao and asked if these functionaries who were at the helm of the Trust were connected to the RSS and if the organization was really upset by the incident, why no action was taken against them.

She also questioned why no FIR was registered against senior officials of the Trust and why responsibility was not laid on those responsible for overseeing the management of the temple. While junior staff were arrested, senior Trust officials were protected, she claimed.

Taking aim at the BJP government, Ms Misra questioned why agencies like the Enforcement Directorate, Central Bureau of Investigation and the Income Tax Department did not act despite what she described as widespread financial irregularities linked to the temple.

She alleged that there was no proper accounting of offerings received from devotees across the country, including around 1,250 Ram Shilas and jewelery worth crores of rupees, and noted that the Trust was kept outside the purview of the Right to Information Act.

Referring to the Ayodhya Supreme Court verdict of November 9, 2019, Ms. Misra said that the apex court had made the Union government responsible for facilitating the construction of the temple and the creation of the Trust. Therefore, it argued that both the Center and the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh could not escape responsibility for the alleged irregularities.

Accusing the BJP of using Lord Ram’s name for political purposes, Ms Misra reiterated the Congress’s demand that the matter be probed under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge.

Published – 4 Jul 2026 23:02 IST