Ram Mandir Trust donation row: Digvijaya Singh demands FIR against Champat Rai
Synopsis
Digvijaya Singh has demanded FIRs and arrests against Ram Mandir Trust officials, alleging unaccounted donations — including 200 kg of silver bricks and foreign contributions — were received without receipts, and that land purchases were tainted by corruption. Congress plans a village-level campaign in Madhya Pradesh to sustain the pressure.
Key Takeaways
Digvijaya Singh demanded an FIR and arrest of Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and member Anil Mishra on 27 June .
Allegations include unreceipted donations of 200 kg of silver bricks from the Sindhi community, jewellery, and foreign contributions.
Singh also alleged irregularities in land purchases associated with the Ram Mandir Trust .
RSS and VHP were accused of exploiting religious faith for political purposes.
Singh alleged encroachment on Mahakal Temple land in Ujjain and sidelining of seers.
Congress plans a panchayat-level outreach campaign across villages in Madhya Pradesh on the issue.
Senior Indian National Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh on Saturday, 27 June escalated his party's offensive against the Ram Mandir Trust, alleging serious irregularities in the management of donations and land transactions linked to the Ayodhya temple. Addressing a press conference in Ujjain, Singh demanded the immediate registration of an FIR against Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and Trust member Anil Mishra.
Key Allegations Raised
Singh alleged that questions have arisen over how donations received for the temple — including cash, jewellery, 200 kg of silver bricks donated by the Sindhi community, and contributions from foreign countries — were handled. He specifically claimed that receipts were not issued for several donations, including jewellery given by a woman devotee and foreign contributions, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.
'The issue involves corruption in land purchases, the donations made by devotees, the 200 kg of silver bricks donated by the Sindhi community, jewellery donated by a woman and the fact that no receipts were issued. Even donations received from foreign countries were allegedly not acknowledged with receipts. These allegations must be investigated and the truth should come before the people,' Singh said.
FIR Demand and Call for Arrests
The Congress veteran did not stop at demanding an inquiry. He called for the immediate arrest of both Champat Rai and Anil Mishra, arguing that devotees who donated in the name of Lord Ram deserve full transparency on the utilisation of their contributions. 'An FIR should be registered immediately. Champat Rai and Anil Mishra should be arrested. The people who donated in the name of Lord Ram deserve answers and complete transparency regarding the utilisation of their contributions,' he stated.
Attack on RSS and VHP
Singh broadened his attack to target the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), accusing both organisations of exploiting religious sentiment for political ends. 'The RSS and the VHP have nothing to do with religion. They are misleading the followers of Sanatan Dharma and those who donated for the temple. There could be no greater dishonesty or betrayal of the faith of Sanatan followers than this,' he claimed.
Mahakal Temple and Document Scrutiny
Singh also renewed allegations concerning the Mahakal Temple in Ujjain, claiming encroachment on temple land and asserting that seers were being sidelined in institutional decision-making. He said he had obtained documents relating to the alleged irregularities and that further details would be made public once the records were fully scrutinised.
Congress Campaign Planned
The former Chief Minister announced that the Congress would launch a grassroots outreach campaign through its panchayat-level committees to raise the Ram Mandir donation controversy across villages in Madhya Pradesh. The move signals that the party intends to sustain pressure on the Trust well beyond a single press conference, taking the issue directly to rural constituencies ahead of future electoral cycles.
Point of View
And the temple issue cuts deep into the Hindu heartland. Yet the specific allegations, particularly around unreceipted foreign donations and the silver bricks, are concrete enough to warrant scrutiny beyond political point-scoring. The Trust has not publicly responded to these claims, and the absence of a rebuttal leaves the allegations uncontested in the public domain. If documentary evidence exists, as Singh claims, the question is why a formal complaint has not yet been filed — and whether the Congress intends to do so, or prefers the issue to simmer as campaign fuel.
NationPress
27 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the allegations Digvijaya Singh has made against the Ram Mandir Trust?
Digvijaya Singh has alleged irregularities in the handling of donations — including cash, jewellery, 200 kg of silver bricks from the Sindhi community, and foreign contributions — claiming receipts were not issued for several of these. He has also alleged corruption in land purchases associated with the Trust.
Who has Digvijaya Singh demanded action against?
Singh has demanded the immediate registration of an FIR and the arrest of Ram Mandir Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and Trust member Anil Mishra, holding them accountable for the alleged irregularities.
Why has Singh targeted the RSS and VHP in this context?
Singh accused the RSS and VHP of exploiting the religious faith of Sanatan Dharma followers for political purposes, claiming they misled devotees who donated for the Ram Mandir. These are his allegations and have not been independently verified.
What is the Congress planning to do next on this issue?
The Congress plans to launch a panchayat-level public outreach campaign to raise the Ram Mandir donation controversy across villages in Madhya Pradesh. Singh also said more documentary evidence would be made public after scrutiny.
Has the Ram Mandir Trust responded to these allegations?
The source material does not include any response from the Ram Mandir Trust, Champat Rai, or Anil Mishra to the allegations made by Digvijaya Singh at the Ujjain press conference on 27 June.
