Ram Mandir Donation Row: The controversy over the Ram Mandir donations has taken a turn, with senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of giving a “safe exit” to those allegedly responsible for the theft of donations at the Ayodhya temple. Ramesh intensified his party’s month-long campaign against the BJP-RSS leadership on the issue, describing it as a “massive deception” on devotees.
Ramesh wrote in an X post:
“Chanda Theft, Betrayal of Faith! Donations in the name of Lord Shri Ram and a theft racket behind the scenes!
Supreme Court Hearing Raises Stakes
The fight is no longer in the political arena but in the courtroom. The bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana was to hear a batch of pleas for an independent, court-monitored probe into the alleged misappropriation of donations. Congress leaders said the judicial angle has taken the row “into a new league” with the focus moving from allegations and press conferences to formal legal scrutiny.
A Three-Part Charge to Congress
Ramesh has repeatedly laid down the BJP’s approach in terms of what he calls a three-pronged strategy: “vote chori, seat chori, chanda chori” (vote theft, seat theft, donation theft). He has also compared it with the now-scrapped electoral bonds scheme, saying that financial irregularities are part of what he terms the BJP’s political pattern of functioning.
BJP’s Reaction and the Way Forward
Ram Mandir Donation Row: The BJP has vowed strict action against anyone found guilty in the donation theft case and warned opposition parties against political point-scoring on an issue touching upon religious sentiments. The controversy is unfolding at a politically sensitive moment with the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections scheduled for early 2027 and talk of an internal survey showing a dip in the BJP’s projected seat tally.
