Shiv Sena (UBT) on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Centre over the alleged multi-crore donation theft at the Ayodhya Ram Temple, accusing the ruling establishment of shielding the accused and dismissing the investigation as a deliberate cover-up. The party's broadside came through a scathing editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana', targeting both the Ram Temple Construction Committee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for what it called a conspicuous silence on a scandal that has rattled the Hindu community.

Mishra's Regret Called Insufficient

The editorial took direct aim at Ram Temple Construction Committee Chairman Nripendra Mishra, who recently described the donation embezzlement as a 'blot' that had left everyone feeling deeply insulted. While acknowledging that Mishra had put the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in an awkward position by admitting that the firing on Kar Sevaks during Mulayam Singh Yadav's tenure as Chief Minister was not a direct government order, the party argued his personal expressions of remorse fall far short of what the situation demands.

According to the editorial, over 12–13 years, an estimated ₹14,000 crore was collected in the name of the Ram Temple project with no public accountability. The alleged donation theft alone, the paper claimed, amounts to at least ₹500 crore, with significant quantities of gold, silver, and jewellery reportedly missing. 'If valuable offerings made to Lord Ram have been stolen, the temple trust's treasurer and board of trustees should have been the first to face criminal charges. Instead, Mishra merely let out a whimper of regret,' the editorial stated.

Pilgrim Footfall and Local Economy Hit Hard

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party claimed the scandal has severely dented public faith, creating what the editorial described as an atmosphere in which 'Lord Ram no longer resides in Ayodhya.' It cited a reported 75 per cent drop in pilgrim footfall as evidence of the reputational damage inflicted on the shrine.

The economic fallout for Ayodhya's religious tourism ecosystem has been stark, according to the editorial. Darshan waiting times have reportedly fallen from four hours to just 30–45 minutes due to thinning crowds. Hotel occupancy has plummeted to 25 per cent, causing anxiety among investors building a hundred new hotels in the area. Street vendors selling garlands and prasad, who previously earned ₹4,000–₹5,000 daily, are now reportedly struggling to make even ₹1,000. E-rickshaw drivers and local restaurants have also witnessed a steep drop in daily earnings.

Modi's Silence Under Scrutiny

The party questioned why Prime Minister Modi — who along with BJP-aligned Hindutva organisations took prominent credit for the temple's construction and the Pran Pratishtha consecration ceremony — has not made any personal statement on the theft. The editorial noted that Modi did not address the issue in his 'Mann Ki Baat' radio programme, did not apologise to Lord Ram, and did not acknowledge the memory of the martyred Kar Sevaks.

Shiv Sena (UBT) alleged that by shielding those it called the 'main thieves' — who reportedly hold the keys to the temple — the credibility of the BJP and the broader Sangh Parivar has been 'completely shattered.'

Investigation Branded a Cover-Up

The editorial concluded that the ongoing police investigation and the arrests made so far amount to nothing more than a 'cover-up,' arguing that the probe has been designed to protect the powerful rather than deliver accountability. Critics argue that without an independent inquiry, the full scale of the alleged embezzlement may never come to light.

The controversy comes at a politically sensitive moment, with the Ram Temple having been central to the BJP's electoral identity for decades. Whether the Centre responds with a formal accountability mechanism or continues to let the matter be handled at the state and trust level will be closely watched.