Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra on Saturday has sharply criticised the Central government over the alleged irregularities in donations made to the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Raising questions over the handling of temple donations, she demanded transparency and accountability in the ongoing investigation.
Speaking to reporters, Moitra questioned the reported disappearance of around 70 kg of silver and 1,250 kg of gold donated by devotees. She also referred to reports claiming that donations worth nearly ₹3,500 crore lacked a clear audit trail. She asked the authorities to explain where the donated valuables and cash had gone.
“In 2020, the auditors had already flagged that you are looking at the donations which are going to come in. And these are raw donations. ₹3,500 crores of raw donations have come in, and there is no receipt whatsoever. Second, what is missing? 70 kilos of silver, 1,250 kilos of gold, you have ₹200 crore in cash. Now, they say the paduka and the Lord's necklace are also missing. You have the Sindhi community that is extremely vocal, saying they have donated 200 silver bricks of a kilo each, and they have no idea where they have gone,” Moitra told the media.
The TMC leader also criticised the arrests made so far in the case, saying that only eight “small people” had been arrested while those responsible for overseeing the trust had not been held accountable. She questioned why senior officials associated with the temple trust had not faced action despite the seriousness of the allegations.
“Who are these small 8 people that you have arrested? This trust is looked after by the Prime Minister. And Yogiji is saying don't politicise the issue. Millions of Hindu devotees have placed their faith in you, and this is what you are doing? Where is the cash? This Champat Rai is lampat now, what have you been doing?” she asked.
The TMC leader also targeted chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, saying that “wherever he goes, something vanishes”.
Her remarks come amid an ongoing probe into alleged embezzlement linked to Ram Mandir donations. Investigating agencies have already arrested eight people, while the controversy has triggered political exchanges between the Opposition and the BJP led government.
The Ram Mandir donation issue has become a major political flashpoint, with Opposition leaders demanding an independent and transparent investigation. Meanwhile, the temple trust has maintained that devotees’ donations remain safe and has denied allegations of missing valuables, while the investigation continues.
