Ram Janmabhoomi donation scam: SIT formed, nobody will be spared, says Vinay Katiyar
Synopsis
A donation pilferage scandal at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya has triggered an SIT probe — reportedly sought personally by PM Modi. BJP veteran Vinay Katiyar says no one will be spared, while pointing to a basic failure: temple donations were not being deposited into the bank daily, even as the bank manager visited regularly.
Key Takeaways
An SIT has been formed to investigate alleged pilferage of donations at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya .
Vinay Katiyar , founder president of Bajrang Dal and former BJP national general secretary, warned that all those involved will be punished.
PM Narendra Modi reportedly called and personally sought the formation of the SIT, according to Katiyar.
Katiyar flagged a procedural lapse: donations were not being deposited daily into the temple's bank account despite regular visits by the bank manager.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav was among opposition leaders who raised questions over the alleged theft.
Katiyar said he plans to visit the temple personally to assess the situation on the ground.
Vinay Katiyar, founder president of Bajrang Dal and former national general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Monday declared that no one involved in the alleged pilferage of donations at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya would escape punishment, following the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter. Katiyar made the remarks in Ayodhya on 15 June, signalling that the accountability drive extends to all levels of the temple's administration.
PM Modi's Role in SIT Formation
Katiyar revealed that it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who personally intervened to ensure the probe was set up. 'Not only the Chief Minister, but the Prime Minister called up and asked for an SIT in the night, and it was set up,' he said, responding to a question on whether Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had initiated the investigation. The clarification is significant, as it places the demand for accountability at the highest level of the Union government.
On Opposition Allegations
When asked about opposition criticism over the alleged theft, Katiyar declined to engage directly. 'Who in the Opposition is making the allegations?' he asked. Informed that Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav was among those who raised questions, Katiyar offered a measured response: 'Akhilesh is a good boy. I will not speak about all that.' He also acknowledged uncertainty over whether the state government had initially attempted to downplay the matter. 'Even I would like to know why that happened,' he said.
Lapses in Donation Records and Banking
Katiyar, who said he has not been involved in the day-to-day running of the temple since its construction, indicated he plans to visit the site personally to assess the situation. He pointed to what he described as a clear procedural failure: 'Ideally, all donations should have been deposited into the bank account daily. People were at fault if they did not do so, even when the bank manager would himself visit the temple from time to time.' He further noted that the temple accountant should have maintained complete records of all donations received, and that these records must now be verified.
SIT Mandate and What Happens Next
Responding to observations that several crores may have been misappropriated and that only lower-level functionaries have been detained so far, Katiyar was unequivocal. 'Everybody who was involved will be punished. That is why the SIT has been set up. The money kept at the temple was meant as prasad to be distributed to devotees,' he said. The SIT is expected to examine financial records, interview temple staff, and trace the chain of custody for donations. The probe is being watched closely given the religious and political significance of the Ram Janmabhoomi site.
Point of View
And any financial scandal here cuts directly against the party's core narrative. That PM Modi reportedly intervened personally to demand an SIT, rather than leaving it to the state machinery, suggests the Centre recognises the reputational stakes. Yet the fact that basic banking protocols — daily deposit of donations — were not followed at one of India's most high-profile religious sites raises questions about governance oversight that the SIT alone cannot answer. The opposition's restraint so far is telling; Akhilesh Yadav appears to be watching the BJP manage its own crisis rather than escalating it.
NationPress
1 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Ram Janmabhoomi donation pilferage case?
It involves alleged misappropriation of donations received at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya. An SIT has been constituted to investigate the matter after concerns were raised that donations were not being properly accounted for or deposited into the temple's bank account.
Who demanded the SIT probe into the Ayodhya temple donation scam?
According to BJP veteran Vinay Katiyar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally called and asked for the SIT to be set up. Katiyar clarified this when asked whether it was UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who had initiated the probe.
What did Vinay Katiyar say about the accused?
Katiyar said that everyone involved in the pilferage will be punished, regardless of their position. He noted that the SIT was formed precisely to ensure no one escapes accountability, and that the misappropriated money was meant as prasad for devotees.
What procedural failures have been flagged in the temple donation case?
Katiyar pointed out that donations should have been deposited into the temple's bank account on a daily basis, and that the bank manager even visited the temple regularly. He said the accountant's records must now be audited to establish the full extent of the irregularities.
How has the opposition responded to the Ram Janmabhoomi donation controversy?
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav was among those who raised questions over the alleged theft. However, Katiyar declined to comment directly on the opposition's allegations, saying only that 'Akhilesh is a good boy.'
