New Delhi: Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led government and the Ram Temple Trust, alleging large-scale, systematic theft of public donations at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir. Addressing the media at the DPCC office in Rajiv Bhawan, Singhvi described the scandal as a “ghor apmaan” (grave insult) to the faith of millions of devotees and a deep betrayal of public trust.
Singhvi opened with a hard-hitting Hindi couplet: “Na sansthan bache hain, na mandir, itna hai faila BJP ka gorakh dhandha. Ujjain mein hadpi hai zameen, aur Ayodhya mein chori kiya gaya hai chanda. Ram ke dham, BJP ne ki hai chori sare-aam!”
He said the temple, regarded as highly sacred, has been “polluted” by the theft of donations. “What I am saying is not merely a political statement. It is a serious issue of insult to faith and betrayal of unwavering belief,” he added.
Citing the preliminary SIT report, Singhvi revealed that between April 27 and June 5 (a 40-day period), investigators found 70 separate instances of theft from the temple’s donation counting room. He stressed that this was only “the tip of the iceberg.” So far, only eight low-level individuals have been arrested. “This is not an accidental lapse or stray incident. It is a systematic, coordinated loot that went on for months, right under the eyes of those responsible,” he asserted.
The Congress leader questioned who allowed the theft to happen “under their noses.” He pointed to senior Trust functionaries, especially Champat Rai, the General Secretary, who oversaw land acquisition, construction, and the entire donation system. Singhvi quoted the Trust Treasurer Govind Giri, who reportedly said the supervision was under Champat Rai and admitted to trusting the “wrong people.” Other names mentioned included Anil Mishra, Gopal Rao (Nagarakatte), Krishna Mohan, and more.
He highlighted the detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and MoUs signed with the State Bank of India. These required biometric attendance, opening of donation boxes only in the presence of three authorised officers, counting of one box at a time, and mandatory frisking at entry and exit points. “When the guardians become the looters, all these written procedures become worthless pieces of paper,” Singhvi said, using the term “Nelson’s blind eye” for the alleged deliberate ignorance.
Singhvi emphasised that the issue transcends money. “This is about the bhavana of a poor mother who donates ₹100 for her child’s well-being, or a daily-wage labourer who puts his entire day’s earning of ₹50-100 into the hundi with complete faith. Finding that money in someone’s shoe, bathroom, or bedroom is a ghastly betrayal of that trust,” he said.
He also flagged extravagant spending on events, citing ₹113 crore on the Pran Pratishtha-related function on January 22, 2024, and ₹10.12 crore on a flag-hoisting ceremony.
Singhvi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence, calling it “eloquent” and “piercing.” He listed five concrete demands from the Congress:
- The Prime Minister must immediately hold a press conference and break his silence.
- Arrests of those truly accountable, not just low-level staff.
- A credible judicial inquiry by a senior sitting or retired Supreme Court judge.
- Complete restructuring of the Trust to include eminent, impartial citizens from broader civil society.
- A full forensic audit of all accounts since the Trust’s inception.
Responding to questions, Singhvi rejected “Whataboutery” regarding attendance at the Pran Pratishtha event, expressed doubts over CBI credibility due to alleged political influence, and questioned why some senior officials who resigned were not named in the FIR or SIT report. He said Congress and the INDIA bloc would raise the issue strongly in the upcoming Parliament session.
“In the court of public conscience, silence is never acquittal,” Singhvi concluded, urging restoration of faith through concrete accountability.
