Actor Anupam Kher has drawn sharp criticism after describing the alleged theft of donations from Ayodhya’s Ram temple as a comparatively small matter when set against historical attacks on places of worship.
Kher made the remarks while arguing that the alleged wrongdoing should not be used to diminish the temple’s sanctity or target Sanatan Dharma. He said those found responsible must be arrested and punished, but questioned the scale of public and political outrage surrounding the case.
The veteran actor compared the alleged embezzlement with the destruction and plunder of temples during Mughal rule. He referred to the killing of priests, removal of temple wealth and atrocities against women, before saying the present controversy was “a very, very small matter” beside those historical events.
His comparison triggered intense debate across social media. Critics accused him of trivialising the suspected theft of money offered by devotees and attempting to divert attention from failures in the temple’s donation-management system. Supporters argued that his comments were being selectively circulated and that his central point was to distinguish criminal conduct by individuals from the religious institution itself.
Kher had earlier said a theft inside a house did not make the house responsible. He maintained that the alleged misconduct of a few people could not reduce the dignity of the temple, whose consecration ceremony was held in January 2024 after decades of legal and political contestation.
As criticism mounted, Kher published messages on Instagram that did not directly mention the controversy. One post said an honest person’s greatest wealth was fearlessness and that someone with a clear conscience never lowered their gaze. The timing led many users to interpret it as a response to his detractors, although the actor did not identify anyone or explicitly connect the message to the temple dispute.
Another message emphasised self-belief and remaining unaffected by criticism. The posts prompted a second round of online arguments, with some users accusing him of avoiding a direct clarification and others praising him for refusing to retreat under pressure.
The controversy has unfolded while investigators examine what they believe may have been systematic pilferage during the counting and reconciliation of cash offerings at the temple. The case surfaced on June 7, and an FIR was registered on June 25 following an inquiry by a Special Investigation Team.
Eight people were arrested shortly after the FIR was filed. Investigators recovered about Rs 79.85 lakh in cash and are examining dozens of bank accounts linked to the accused and their relatives. Jewellery, foreign currency, vehicles and other assets have also come under scrutiny as officers trace the suspected movement of donation money.
The accused include people associated with donation counting and cash reconciliation. Investigators are studying surveillance footage and financial records to establish how long the alleged operation continued and whether others assisted or benefited from it.
Preliminary findings have identified serious weaknesses in the systems used to receive, count, record and deposit offerings. The suspected lapses include inadequate supervision, weak access controls, poor reconciliation practices and insufficient separation of responsibilities among those handling cash.
Investigators are also examining estimates that several lakh rupees may have been diverted on some days. Daily deposits into trust-linked bank accounts reportedly increased after scrutiny began, strengthening suspicions that part of the cash collected earlier had not reached the accounts. The final scale of any loss remains under investigation.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has undertaken an administrative overhaul amid the controversy. General secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra resigned from their positions, while a committee was established to select a new chief executive officer and strengthen financial oversight.
Trust chairman Mahant Nritya Gopal Das described the alleged misconduct as a sin and acknowledged the damage caused to devotees’ confidence. Rai has said he will respond to the allegations point by point after the SIT submits its final report.
The temple had received donations totalling about Rs 582 crore by March 31, underscoring the scale of the responsibility involved in safeguarding offerings. The controversy has also become politically charged ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, with opposition parties demanding broader accountability and an independently supervised investigation.
