'Who Will Answer to the Devotees?': Priyanka Gandhi Demands Probe Into Ram Temple Donation Scam

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday described the alleged theft of donations collected for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya as both "tragic" and "shameful" , urging the Uttar Pradesh government to carry out a comprehensive investigation and fix responsibility for the alleged misappropriation of funds donated by millions of devotees.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting at the Wayanad Collectorate during her constituency visit, Priyanka said the matter goes beyond financial wrongdoing because it involves the faith and trust of ordinary people who contributed to the temple through a nationwide fundraising campaign.

She stressed that the government must determine what happened, how it happened, and why it happened , while ensuring that everyone responsible is held accountable. According to her, those entrusted with collecting and safeguarding the donations cannot escape responsibility if the allegations are proven true.

Highlighting the emotional significance of the donations, Priyanka said the contributions did not come solely from large corporations but from countless ordinary citizens , including women who donated from their household savings and economically weaker families who contributed out of devotion. She said such offerings reflected faith rather than financial capacity, making the alleged embezzlement particularly disturbing.

"If people have given, women have given from their savings, from their homes, poor people have given... It's not just funds given by big corporates. These are funds collected from ordinary citizens," she said, adding that those who organised the donation drive were duty bound to protect the money entrusted to them.

The controversy first surfaced on June 7 , following allegations of embezzlement involving donations received by the Ram Temple. Acting on a request from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust , the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on June 13 to examine the matter.

Based on the SIT's preliminary findings, an FIR was registered on June 25 , and Ayodhya police arrested eight accused individuals the following day. Officials have stated that the SIT submitted strong recommendations to the state government and that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed that anyone found guilty should face strict legal action .

All eight arrested accused have since been remanded to judicial custody until June 29 , while the investigation continues. The case has attracted nationwide attention, with political leaders demanding transparency and accountability over donations made by devotees across the country.