Amid escalating controversy over allegations of missing offerings at Ayodhya's Ram Temple, Tapasvi Chavani seer Jagadguru Paramhans Acharya on 16 June levelled counter-allegations against Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, demanding that both undergo a narco test. The demand came even as a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government is actively probing the alleged irregularities at the temple.

What the Seer Alleged

Jagadguru Paramhans Acharya insisted that the full truth in the Ram Temple donations case would only emerge after narco tests on the two opposition leaders. 'Till a narco test of Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav is not conducted, the complete truth won't be revealed,' he said.

Targeting Akhilesh Yadav specifically, the seer questioned how someone who had reportedly never visited the Ram Mandir could be among the first to learn of missing offerings there. He went further, accusing both leaders of being 'masterminds' of an alleged conspiracy, claiming the act was designed to 'malign Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Temple Trust, and the Sanatan faith.' According to the seer, the alleged crime was executed through 'small-time workers' acting on instructions from above — though no evidence was cited to support this claim.

SP's Counter-Demand: Supreme Court-Monitored Probe

SP MP Awadhesh Prasad firmly rejected the seer's allegations and argued that the Ram Temple donations controversy transcends state boundaries. 'This is a very big issue because crores of people in the country have faith in Lord Ram. Therefore, the investigation of this matter should be done under the judiciary's ambit, and only by a committee constituted by the Supreme Court,' he told reporters.

Prasad's demand for a court-monitored probe reflects the opposition's position that a state-appointed SIT cannot be considered independent in a matter of national religious significance.

Representation Filed Before Supreme Court

A formal representation has been submitted before the Supreme Court, addressed to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant. Filed by Advocate-on-Record Anoop Prakash Awasthi, the petition urges the apex court to direct registration of an FIR and order a court-monitored investigation into the alleged misappropriation of donations and offerings at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya. The representation specifically calls for the probe to be conducted by a premier agency such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under direct Supreme Court supervision.

Background and What's at Stake

The controversy centres on allegations that donations and offerings made by devotees at one of India's most politically and religiously significant temples have gone missing or been misappropriated. The Uttar Pradesh government's SIT is currently the primary investigative body, but opposition parties and now a legal petitioner have sought to shift oversight to the judiciary. This comes amid heightened political sensitivity around the Ram Mandir, which was inaugurated in January 2024 and remains a flagship symbol of the BJP's ideological agenda. With crores of devotees having contributed to the temple's construction and ongoing offerings, any allegation of financial irregularity carries significant public and political weight.

The Supreme Court's response to the representation, and the SIT's findings, are expected to shape the next phase of this rapidly evolving controversy.