The Aam Aadmi Party national convenor said on Sunday that the temple represented the faith of crores of Hindus and that any attempt to shield those responsible would amount to a betrayal of devotees. His comments came as a Special Investigation Team set up by the Uttar Pradesh government continued examining allegations of misappropriation of offerings and financial mismanagement linked to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
Kejriwal, writing on X and speaking in a video message, claimed that donations worth crores of rupees had gone missing and asked why the Uttar Pradesh police, the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation had not acted by filing a formal case. He alleged that influential figures were being protected and suggested that action against them could create political instability for the government.
The allegations have turned a sensitive religious issue into a widening political confrontation. Opposition parties have accused the authorities of moving slowly in a matter involving public faith, while the state government has pointed to the SIT inquiry as evidence that the charges are being examined. The trust has sought an impartial probe, saying the facts should be established and misinformation countered.
The SIT was constituted on June 13 after allegations surfaced over the handling of donations, including cash offerings, jewellery and other valuables. The inquiry has looked at the counting process, custody of donation boxes, documentation of offerings and the role of staff and functionaries involved in managing daily collections at the temple complex. Investigators have questioned trust officials, temple employees and banking personnel connected with the handling of donations.
The probe has also examined whether there were discrepancies in the purchase and maintenance of donation boxes and whether the recording of high-value offerings was properly documented. People questioned during the inquiry have been asked to remain available in Ayodhya as investigators prepare their findings. The preliminary inquiry is expected to be placed before Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
AAP MP Sanjay Singh has already filed a complaint at the Ram Janmabhoomi police station against Champat Rai, general secretary of the trust, demanding registration of an FIR and a wider criminal investigation. The complaint has escalated AAP’s attack on the temple administration and the ruling party, with the party arguing that a probe without a criminal case would be inadequate if theft and embezzlement are suspected.
The controversy has drawn other opposition parties into the issue. Congress leaders have demanded a time-bound investigation under the supervision of a sitting High Court judge, arguing that the sensitivity of the temple and the scale of public donations require a process seen as independent. Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav has also raised questions over alleged irregularities, while other parties have called for greater transparency in the temple’s finances.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust was created after the Supreme Court’s 2019 judgment cleared the way for the construction of the Ram Temple at the disputed Ayodhya site. The temple was consecrated on January 22, 2024, in a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, religious leaders and invited guests from across the country. Since then, the shrine has drawn heavy footfall and large volumes of donations from devotees.
