Ayodhya Ram Temple 105 thefts a 'national disgrace': Shiv Sena(UBT) in Saamana
Synopsis
Shiv Sena(UBT)'s Saamana editorial didn't just attack the BJP — it used the Supreme Court's own SIT report against it. With CCTV footage and forensic audits confirming 105 instances of theft at the Ayodhya Ram Temple, the Thackeray camp is framing this as a Hindutva betrayal by the very party that built its identity around Ram Mandir.
Key Takeaways
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) called the Ayodhya Ram Temple thefts a 'national disgrace' in a Saamana editorial on 23 September 2026 .
An SIT status report submitted to the Supreme Court confirmed 105 instances of currency theft and donation siphoning via CCTV footage and forensic audits.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted the SIT report to the Supreme Court on Monday .
The editorial alleged BJP-linked individuals sold land near the temple to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust at inflated prices.
Shiv Sena(UBT) credited its 'Ram Raksha' campaign and parliamentary disruptions with forcing the scandal into public view.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis had earlier dismissed opposition claims as 'false propaganda,' a position the editorial says the SIT report now contradicts.
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, launched a stinging broadside against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological allies, calling the 105 confirmed instances of theft at the Ayodhya Ram Temple a 'stain on national pride' and a 'national disgrace'. The party's attack came through an editorial in its official mouthpiece, 'Saamana', a day after the Supreme Court received a status report on the matter.
What the SIT Report Revealed
The editorial cited the Special Investigation Team (SIT) status report submitted to the Supreme Court by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on Monday, which reportedly confirmed through CCTV footage and forensic audits that 105 separate instances of currency theft and donation siphoning had taken place inside the temple's counting room. According to the editorial, this legal disclosure directly contradicts earlier statements by leaders including Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who had reportedly dismissed opposition claims as 'false propaganda' designed to malign Hindutva.
Shiv Sena(UBT)'s Political Attack
The Thackeray camp alleged that those who rose to power under the banner of Hindutva have 'compromised the solemn sacrifices of Kar Sevaks.' The editorial declared: 'The revelation before the Supreme Court is a resounding slap in the face of those who tried to cover up the thefts by calling the allegations an anti-Hindutva conspiracy. The self-proclaimed watchdogs (Chowkidars) of Hindutva turned out to be the thieves themselves.'
In a sharp historical analogy, the editorial alleged that even Mahmud of Ghazni had not looted Hindu temples 105 times, likening the accused insiders to 'modern-day plundering invaders.' The comparison is politically charged and reflects the intensity of the Thackeray camp's rhetoric against its former ideological partners.
Land Deals and Commercialisation Allegations
The editorial further alleged that BJP-linked individuals acquired land around the temple site cheaply and subsequently sold it back to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust at inflated, multi-crore prices. It claimed that Ayodhya has been transformed from a spiritual pilgrimage into a commercial venture benefiting 'corporate allies and celebrity sycophants,' though these allegations remain unverified and the BJP has not formally responded to them in this context.
Parliament Disruption and the 'Ram Raksha' Campaign
The Thackeray faction accused the ruling party of disrupting Parliamentary proceedings to prevent a debate on the temple thefts, calling such obstruction 'the ultimate act of treason against the deity.' The editorial credited Shiv Sena(UBT)'s 'Ram Raksha' campaign and opposition pressure in Parliament with forcing the issue into the public domain, asserting that without such pressure, the theft count could have grown 'from 105 instances to thousands.'
Notably, the Shiv Sena(UBT)–BJP rivalry carries particular historical weight — the two parties were long-time Maharashtra alliance partners before Uddhav Thackeray broke with the BJP in 2019. The Ram Temple issue, central to BJP's ideological identity, is now being weaponised against it by its estranged former ally.
What Happens Next
The matter is currently before the Supreme Court, with the SIT report forming part of the judicial record. The editorial concluded with a rhetorical question: if a party cannot secure the donation boxes of its most revered deity, what does that say about the state of the nation's public treasury? With the Maharashtra assembly session approaching and political temperatures already high, the Ayodhya temple controversy is set to remain a flashpoint.
Point of View
Being out-flanked on the Ram Temple by a former ally is a serious credibility problem. What mainstream coverage often misses is that the land-deal allegations, if substantiated, go beyond theft — they implicate the trust's governance structure itself. The BJP has not yet offered a detailed public response to the SIT's specific findings, and that silence, as the Maharashtra assembly session nears, may cost it more than any counter-attack.
NationPress
23 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the SIT report on Ayodhya Ram Temple thefts reveal?
The SIT status report, submitted to the Supreme Court by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, confirmed through CCTV footage and forensic audits that 105 separate instances of currency theft and donation siphoning occurred in the temple's counting room. The findings are part of ongoing judicial proceedings and form the basis of Shiv Sena(UBT)'s latest political offensive.
What is Shiv Sena(UBT)'s 'Ram Raksha' campaign?
The 'Ram Raksha' campaign is a political initiative by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena aimed at highlighting alleged corruption and mismanagement at the Ayodhya Ram Temple. The party claims this campaign, along with parliamentary disruptions, forced the temple theft scandal into national attention and triggered the SIT investigation.
How has the BJP responded to the Ayodhya temple theft allegations?
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier dismissed the opposition's claims as 'false propaganda' intended to malign Hindutva. However, the Saamana editorial argues that the SIT report submitted to the Supreme Court directly contradicts that position. A detailed BJP response to the SIT's specific findings has not been publicly issued.
What land-deal allegations has Shiv Sena(UBT) made about Ayodhya?
The Saamana editorial alleged that BJP-linked individuals acquired land near the Ayodhya temple site at low prices and subsequently sold it back to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust at inflated, multi-crore values. These allegations remain unverified and have not been tested in court.
Why is the Shiv Sena(UBT)–BJP clash over Ayodhya significant?
The two parties were long-time alliance partners in Maharashtra before splitting in 2019. The Ram Temple was central to BJP's ideological identity, making the Thackeray camp's use of the temple theft scandal against the BJP especially politically potent. It signals a direct contest over who can claim moral authority on Hindutva.
