Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai and a party delegation were stopped on Tuesday from visiting the Ram temple in Ayodhya, intensifying a political confrontation over allegations that donations made by devotees were siphoned from the temple’s collection system.
Rai said police prevented him and other Congress leaders from offering prayers at the shrine after they arrived in Ayodhya. Party leaders alleged that the delegation was confined at a hotel and later shifted to a guest house to stop the visit. The administration maintained tight security around the group as Congress workers protested, accusing the state government of using police action to avoid questions over the handling of temple funds.
The episode has sharpened pressure on the BJP, which has placed the Ram temple at the centre of its political messaging for decades. The party’s opponents are now seeking to turn the donation controversy into a wider argument over accountability, religious trust and the management of funds collected in the name of faith.
Rai accused the BJP and its ideological affiliates of failing to protect offerings made by devotees and demanded a transparent investigation. He said Congress leaders had gone to Ayodhya to pray and to express concern over the alleged irregularities, not to create a law-and-order problem. Party functionaries also demanded action against those responsible for managing the temple’s donation process if wrongdoing is established.
The controversy stems from allegations that several crores of rupees were misappropriated from the Ram temple’s donation system. Former Samajwadi Party MLA Pawan Pandey had earlier claimed that around ₹7 crore to ₹7.5 crore from devotees’ offerings had been diverted. The charge triggered a political storm in Uttar Pradesh and led to calls for a wider probe into the procedures used for counting, recording and securing donations.
A Special Investigation Team has been examining lapses in the handling of temple offerings, including the counting room process, surveillance arrangements and staff accountability. The probe has focused on whether standard operating procedures were followed and whether gaps in oversight allowed money to be removed without timely detection. Police have questioned accused persons and examined CCTV material as part of the investigation.
The case has also drawn attention from within the BJP’s broader ecosystem. BJP MLC Devendra Pratap Singh has sought intervention at the highest level, calling for a fair inquiry and changes in the functioning of the temple trust. His move has added weight to the argument that the controversy is no longer confined to opposition allegations and has created unease within supporters of the ruling party.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which oversees the temple, is expected to discuss its future course of action at a meeting in Ayodhya on July 6. The trust has so far faced growing demands for greater transparency in the collection and audit of offerings. The temple receives large numbers of visitors daily, and the scale of public donations has made financial controls a politically sensitive issue.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath attacked Congress over the Ayodhya visit, accusing the party of hypocrisy and political opportunism. He argued that leaders who had earlier opposed the Ram temple movement were now attempting to use the shrine for political theatre. BJP leaders have insisted that the government is capable of ensuring a proper investigation and accused the opposition of exploiting devotees’ sentiments.
Congress has rejected that charge, saying the issue concerns public faith and accountability rather than party politics. Its leaders said devotees who contributed money to the temple deserve clarity on how offerings were handled and whether officials responsible for safeguarding funds failed in their duty.
The row has spread beyond Congress. Opposition parties have seized on the allegations to question the BJP’s claim of being the principal defender of Hindu interests. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray described the alleged theft as a betrayal of devotees, while religious voices, including Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, have criticised the probe for not going far enough against influential figures.
