Congress on Friday, 10 July called for a Supreme Court-monitored independent judicial investigation into alleged financial and governance irregularities within the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, demanding the registration of FIRs against those it claims were involved and a forensic audit of all donations and expenditure linked to the Ram Temple project. The demand was made at a press conference in Vadodara by party national spokesperson Surendra Rajput.

What Congress Alleged

Rajput alleged that donations and offerings made by devotees for the construction of the Ram Temple had been misused. He described the issue as one of faith, not merely finance, arguing that 'poor people, farmers, labourers, women and devotees from across the country' had contributed their savings, jewellery and hard-earned money towards the temple's construction.

'Politics was done in the name of Ram Mandir, and now there is alleged plunder in the name of offerings. The donations collected in the name of Lord Shri Ram have now also allegedly become victims of the political plunder of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS),' Rajput said. He acknowledged that no documentary evidence was presented at the press conference.

Key Developments Inside the Trust

Rajput pointed to a series of internal changes at the Trust as grounds for concern. He cited the accepted resignations of former General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra, public statements by Trust Treasurer Govind Dev Giri, media reports concerning specially invited member Gopal Rao (Gopal Nagarkote), and the appointment of former RSS Uttar Pradesh in-charge Krishnamohan as the Trust's new General Secretary.

He raised three pointed questions: who bears responsibility for the alleged irregularities given the Trust was constituted under the Prime Minister's supervision; why Champat Rai and Anil Mishra resigned if everything was in order; and why, he argued, there would be reluctance to permit an independent Supreme Court-supervised inquiry if no wrongdoing had occurred.

What the Congress Is Demanding

The party laid out a five-point set of demands. These include the immediate registration of FIRs and arrest of Champat Rai, Anil Mishra, and others allegedly involved; an independent judicial inquiry monitored by the Supreme Court; reconstitution of the Trust with religious leaders, eminent citizens, administrative experts and independent members; an independent forensic audit of all donations, offerings, land purchases and expenditure; and a public explanation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the Central Government's and the Prime Minister's Office's role in the Trust's formation, senior appointments and administrative oversight.

Rajput alleged that the Prime Minister's Office had played an active role in the Trust's administrative structure and senior appointments, and that attempts had been made to suppress the matter — though he did not substantiate either claim with evidence at the press conference.

The Broader Political Context

The Congress demand comes amid wider opposition scrutiny of institutions linked to the Ram Temple project, which was consecrated in January 2024 in Ayodhya in a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Modi. The BJP and the Trust have not yet issued a formal response to Friday's allegations. Notably, the resignations of Champat Rai and Anil Mishra had already drawn media attention before the Congress press conference, making the Trust's internal churn a live political flashpoint.

'Lord Shri Ram does not belong to any one political party. He is the faith of crores of Indians. Instead of protecting those who allegedly betrayed the faith associated with Lord Shri Ram, legal action should be taken against them,' Rajput said.

Whether the Supreme Court will take cognisance of any petition arising from these demands, and how the Trust and the BJP respond, will shape the trajectory of this controversy in the weeks ahead.