AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday, 21 June 2026, demanded immediate arrests over alleged theft of crores of rupees in donations from the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, questioning why no FIR has been registered in the matter and accusing the government of shielding those responsible.

Posting in Hindi on X, Kejriwal wrote: 'राम मंदिर में करोड़ों हिंदुओं की आस्था है। उसी राम मंदिर से करोड़ों रुपये के चंदे की चोरी हो गई, लेकिन एक भी FIR दर्ज नहीं हुई।' ('Crores of Hindus have faith in the Ram Mandir. Crores of rupees in donations have been stolen from that very Ram Mandir, yet not a single FIR has been registered.') He went on to ask, 'Who is the government protecting?' and demanded that those involved — 'however powerful they may be' — be 'sent straight to jail.'

Context

The Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, was inaugurated on 22 January 2024 in the presence of the Prime Minister and senior government functionaries. The temple, dedicated to Lord Ram, was constructed following a landmark Supreme Court verdict in November 2019 that awarded the disputed site to a trust for temple construction. It draws donations from millions of Hindu devotees across the country and abroad, making financial oversight a matter of significant public interest.

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, constituted by the Union government in February 2020, is the statutory body responsible for managing the temple's construction, administration, and funds. Kejriwal's post is directed at the absence of a police complaint despite what he characterises as large-scale financial irregularities within this trust-managed institution.

Policy Backdrop

Indian opposition parties have periodically raised questions about financial transparency in religious institutions and trusts, particularly those established or overseen after the 2019 Ayodhya verdict. Large-scale public donations to temples with national significance occupy a legal grey area — they are not always subject to the same audit mechanisms as government funds, even when the managing trust is notified by the Union government.

Debates over the regulation of temple donations and the accountability of trusts have intensified as the volume of contributions to high-profile shrines has grown substantially in recent years. Kejriwal's demand for FIRs reflects a broader opposition argument that symbolic institutions must be held to the highest standards of financial accountability.

Stakeholders and Impact

The allegation, if substantiated, would directly concern the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Uttar Pradesh Police, and the Union government, which notified the trust. For the tens of millions of Hindu devotees who have contributed to or visited the temple, the integrity of donation management carries deep religious and emotional significance.

Politically, the post places the ruling dispensation — both at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh — on the defensive over an institution they have closely associated with. Kejriwal's framing, invoking the faith of 'crores of Hindus,' is calibrated to make financial accountability a matter of religious sentiment rather than partisan politics alone.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to whether the Uttar Pradesh Police or the Teerth Kshetra Trust issues a formal response addressing the donation audit trail and the absence of any registered complaint. Statements on the matter are also anticipated during the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament, where opposition members are expected to press the government for details. Any official clarification or denial from the trust or state government will be a key indicator of how the controversy develops.