NEW DELHI, OCT 19:’ Upping the ante over the Ram temple donation theft case, the Congress on Monday questioned the “silence” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and asserted that it is the responsibility of the country’s citizens to punish the “chanda chors blinded by the arrogance of power”. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh demanded that full accounting of offerings at the temple be made public, roles of all responsible persons investigated, and no official be spared accountability. In a post in Hindi on X, Ramesh said, “‘Chanda chori, Aastha dhokha. Ram ke naam se satta paayi, chanda chori par chuppi chaayi’. The BJP, which rose to power by invoking the name of Lord Ram, will meet its downfall due to the sin of this theft.” The special investigation team (SIT) was constituted in a manner that suited the very individuals accused, he alleged. “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. On August 17, the Home Department submitted the final report to the same Trust; as expected, it granted a clean chit to Champat Rai and Anil Mishra,” Ramesh said. “The theft was captured on camera 105 times. Footage recorded between April 27 and June 5, 2026, shows staff members—tasked with counting the funds—hiding bundles of currency notes,” he said. Those responsible for the treasury issued the clean chit, and since the treasurer held responsibility for the funds, the most significant questions naturally fall upon him, he said. “Saints in Ayodhya have pointed out that the treasurer, Govind Giri, ought to have been aware of the inflow and outflow of funds. Nevertheless, on July 7, he claimed that Champat Rai had no role in this scandal,” he said. Ramesh claimed that the extent of the theft remains hidden and to this day, the nation has not been informed about the total amount of money or the value of the precious items stolen. “A preliminary report dated June 23 clearly indicated that oversight protocols were not being followed and that the control room was frequently left unattended. Why has there been no investigation into who else was involved or held responsible? How could the investigation be closed without ever disclosing the actual figures regarding the theft?” he said. Low-level staff in jail, while those in high positions remain free, he said. “An FIR was registered on June 25, and eight individuals involved in the counting process were arrested the following day; however, no former office-bearer of the Trust is named in the FIR. Why have there been no rigorous interrogations by the ED or CBI?” he said. In Ayodhya, Lord Ram had signalled his displeasure by causing the BJP’s defeat — a warning the party failed to grasp, allowing the theft of temple offerings to continue — the Congress leader said, referring to the BJP candidate’s defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls from the constituency. “One cannot expect the BJP government to investigate those linked to the Sangh Parivar who are involved in the theft of these offerings. Therefore, the Congress demands that the entire matter of the theft of offerings at the Lord Ram temple in Ayodhya be investigated in an independent, impartial, and transparent manner, under the supervision of the Supreme Court,” he said. A full account of all offerings must be made public, the roles of all those responsible must be examined, and no official should be shielded from accountability, Ramesh demanded. “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,” he said. “It now rests with the citizens of this country to hold these individuals—who have stolen donations while blinded by the arrogance of power—accountable and ensure they are punished,” Ramesh said. Earlier this month, the Congress alleged that the likes of former general secretary of the Ram Temple trust Champat Rai were being shielded in the Ram temple donation theft probe and hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his “silence” on the issue, saying “arrogance of power is suicidal”. The opposition party had also asked why there was a 21-day delay in filing an FIR after a video regarding the stolen amount reached Rai on June 4. Ramesh had asked whether the objective of the investigation was merely to catch petty thieves, or was it also to fix accountability for those under whose watch and patronage these events transpired. The Congress has raised an array of questions about the investigation into the theft of donations at the Ram temple by the SIT and said only an impartial and transparent probe under the Supreme Court’s supervision can reveal the truth. The opposition party has also questioned Prime Minister Modi’s silence on the issue, saying it implies that the thieves “enjoy his protection”. The Congress’s persistent attack on the BJP comes ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly polls early next year. (Source: PTI)
