Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, 19 July, demanding an independent probe into the Ram Temple donation theft case in Ayodhya — triggering a sharp political exchange between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Opposition INDIA bloc. The case involves the alleged embezzlement of cash and precious items donated by devotees at the Ram Mandir.

What the Congress Letter Said

In their letter to the Prime Minister, Gandhi and Kharge criticised the governance of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, noting the affiliations of its members with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). They called for full public disclosure of all cash, gold, and silver offerings, as well as the Trust's accounts, irrespective of political considerations.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi defended the move, saying, 'The most important issue is the alleged Ram Temple donation theft in Ayodhya, which our Leaders of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, have raised. The entire country is saddened by this, and it is a very shameful and unfortunate issue. The government should show sensitivity on this matter.'

NDA's Sharp Rebuttal

Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Ram Kadam launched a pointed attack on the Congress leadership, saying, 'Look at the antics of Rahul Gandhi. Some time ago, he was saying himself that Ram Setu is fictional, and his party had submitted such an affidavit to the country's Supreme Court in September 2007. He stated multiple times that Ram is fictional and that no Ram existed in the Treta Yug.'

Kadam added, 'Now, suddenly, these people are remembering Ram, and that too by writing letters. So, these letters are nothing but a drama by Kharge Ji and him. If they truly had love for Lord Ram, they would have attended the Bhumi Pujan or the temple's inauguration. An investigation is already underway regarding the unfortunate incident that occurred there; no one will be spared.'

Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Nirupam also criticised the Congress while asserting that action was already under way. He told reporters, 'No one is defending this grave sin. However, action is being taken against those who stole the offerings at Lord Ram's temple in Ayodhya. The SIT has initiated an investigation, and seven to eight people have been arrested. The SIT has already submitted its preliminary report, and the final report will be submitted very soon. All the accused will be apprehended and given such stringent punishment.'

Nirupam further alleged, 'People who never had anything to do with Ram, and who used to question the very existence of Lord Ram, have suddenly turned into Ram devotees over this theft. These are fake Ram devotees, not real ones.'

Voices Calling for Impartial Inquiry

Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC, while supporting a thorough investigation, urged that the matter should not be reduced to political point-scoring. She said, 'An independent investigation should certainly take place. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not spare anyone found guilty, and strict punishment should be given. However, this issue should not be politicised; what matters is finding out where the donations went.'

Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey backed the demand for impartial scrutiny, saying, 'He is the Leader of the Opposition, and Mallikarjun Kharge is the National President of the Congress Party. If he has expressed concern since the matter of theft in the Ram Temple offerings came to light, the SIT is already investigating it. But along with the SIT, the Prime Minister should also pay attention to impartiality, because the consecration (Pran Pratishtha) was done by the Prime Minister's own hands.'

Dubey added, 'Writing a letter to him is a natural process. We don't think there is any politics happening in this. Everyone writes letters; we had also written a letter. We had even demanded a CBI inquiry. People write letters in a democracy.'

Opposition Defends Constitutional Role

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Mrityunjay Tiwari defended the Opposition's intervention, stating, 'The Opposition should fulfil its responsibilities. Raising issues related to the public is the duty of the Opposition.'

This comes amid an ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the alleged embezzlement and related financial irregularities at the Ram Mandir. The political confrontation has intensified the public debate around accountability at one of India's most prominent religious sites, even as the investigation continues.