Badrinath donation theft: Congress demands Opposition-led probe panel
Synopsis
The Badrinath Temple donation theft row has turned political: Congress is rejecting the Dhami government's own inquiry panel as a sham, invoking the Ankita Bhandari case as precedent for state cover-ups. With a parallel controversy already live at Ayodhya's Ram Temple, the episode is shaping into a broader accountability crisis for BJP-governed shrine management.
Key Takeaways
Congress President Ganesh Godiyal called the state-appointed inquiry panel a 'cover-up' and demanded an all-party committee headed by an Opposition leader .
The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) had filed an FIR with Uttarakhand Police after social media claims of donation irregularities surfaced.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami constituted a three-member high-level committee and vowed strict action against those found guilty.
Godiyal drew a parallel with the Ankita Bhandari murder case , alleging the earlier SIT suppressed evidence.
The controversy follows a separate donation embezzlement row at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya , intensifying scrutiny of shrine financial oversight.
The Indian National Congress on Wednesday, 8 July launched a sharp attack on the Uttarakhand government over the alleged theft of donations at the Badrinath Temple in Chamoli district, demanding an all-party investigation committee headed by an Opposition leader and expressing no confidence in the state-constituted inquiry panel.
Background: How the controversy unfolded
Badrinath Temple, one of the holiest shrines of Sanatan Dharm and a central destination during the ongoing Char Dham Yatra, came under scrutiny after claims circulated on social media alleging irregularities in the handling of devotee offerings. The controversy gained further traction against the backdrop of a separate embezzlement row at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.
Following the allegations, the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) filed a First Information Report (FIR) with the Uttarakhand Police. The state government, led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, subsequently constituted a three-member high-level committee to conduct a comprehensive inquiry.
What the Congress said
Uttarakhand Congress President Ganesh Godiyal dismissed the government-appointed panel as a 'cover-up.' 'All this is merely a cover-up. The government is not conducting the kind of investigation that should actually take place,' he said. Godiyal argued that the incident had 'deeply affected the religious sentiments' of crores of devotees and called for a broader accountability mechanism.
'Everyone involved in the inquiry should take an oath in the name of Lord Badrinath and pledge that they will rise above political considerations and carry out the investigation in a transparent manner,' he added.
Drawing a pointed parallel, Godiyal invoked the Ankita Bhandari murder case, alleging that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) had suppressed evidence in that matter. 'Just like how the SIT covered up the Ankita Bhandari murder case evidence, this committee will do the same thing. I have no faith in it,' he said.
Chief Minister Dhami's response
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, addressing reporters at an event in Haridwar earlier in the day, used strong religious language to characterise the alleged theft. 'Whoever is found guilty won't be spared. Strict action will be taken. A committee has been formed, and police have started their preliminary probe,' he said.
Dhami described the alleged act as 'a sin amounting to cow slaughter' and 'a massive sin like that of murdering one's own parents,' assuring that 'the law will take its own course, and the guilty will be punished.'
Wider context and what comes next
The Badrinath Temple case is the second high-profile donation-management controversy at a major Hindu shrine within weeks, following scrutiny of the Ram Temple trust in Ayodhya. Critics argue that the absence of independent oversight structures at prominent religious sites creates systemic vulnerability to financial misconduct. The Dhami government has not yet indicated whether it will expand the inquiry panel to include Opposition representatives. The three-member committee's findings and any subsequent police charge-sheet will be closely watched as the Char Dham Yatra season continues.
Point of View
But the underlying institutional question is not trivial: India's major religious shrines operate with limited independent financial auditing, and the BKTC's decision to file an FIR against persons unknown does not by itself guarantee transparent accountability. The Ankita Bhandari comparison is incendiary, but it signals that trust in state-constituted SITs in Uttarakhand is structurally low — a problem the Dhami government cannot resolve through strong language alone. Two major temple donation controversies in quick succession, at Badrinath and Ayodhya, suggest this is less a coincidence and more a governance gap that has gone unaddressed for years.
NationPress
8 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Badrinath Temple donation theft case?
The case involves alleged irregularities in the handling of devotee offerings at the Badrinath Temple in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district. Claims surfaced on social media during the ongoing Char Dham Yatra, prompting the BKTC to file an FIR and the state government to constitute a three-member inquiry committee.
Why is the Congress opposing the government's inquiry panel?
Uttarakhand Congress President Ganesh Godiyal has called the panel a 'cover-up,' arguing that an all-party committee headed by an Opposition leader is needed for credible, transparent inquiry. He also cited the Ankita Bhandari murder case as an instance where he alleges a state-appointed SIT suppressed evidence.
What action has the Uttarakhand government taken so far?
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami constituted a three-member high-level committee and directed police to begin a preliminary probe. He has vowed that anyone found guilty will face strict action, describing the alleged theft in strong religious terms.
How does this relate to the Ayodhya Ram Temple controversy?
The Badrinath row has emerged against the backdrop of a separate embezzlement controversy involving donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. Together, the two cases have intensified public and political scrutiny of financial oversight at major Hindu shrines.
What happens next in the Badrinath case?
The three-member committee's findings and any police charge-sheet will determine the next steps. The Congress has demanded that all inquiry members take an oath in Lord Badrinath's name to ensure impartiality, but the government has not yet indicated whether it will broaden the panel.
