Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday, 19 June described the alleged misappropriation of devotee offerings at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya as an 'utter betrayal of the faith and trust' of crores of Hindus, expressing shock at the reported scale of financial irregularities at one of India's most prominent religious sites.

What Tharoor Said

The Thiruvananthapuram Member of Parliament, speaking in an interview, minced no words in condemning the alleged embezzlement. 'It is really shocking. The temples are a matter of faith. You go there, pray to God and donate something to God. When you give something in the hundi, place before the Lord as the offering ('chadhava'), it is meant for the temple. It is for a divine purpose, and it means that it must be used entirely only for the temple and not any other purpose,' Tharoor said.

He further added: 'When you discover that not just lakhs but crores may have been siphoned away, it is such a betrayal of trust and a violation of faith.' The lawmaker said he was 'shocked beyond belief' at the scale of the alleged betrayal of devout Hindus, and expressed dismay at how deeply worshippers from across India and abroad would feel wronged.

The Alleged Financial Irregularities

The controversy came to light when allegations surfaced that several staff members responsible for handling funds and jewellery donated by devotees — from both India and abroad — had allegedly siphoned them off for personal gain. Reports indicate that some of those accused reportedly used the misappropriated money to construct lavish residences for themselves. The allegations relate to the temple's 'chadhava' collection, which includes cash offerings and valuables placed by pilgrims at the shrine.

Notably, the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya draws millions of devotees annually and receives donations of significant monetary and sentimental value. The alleged diversion of such offerings — reportedly running into crores — has triggered widespread outrage among the faithful.

Tharoor on Modi's Record Tenure

In the same interview, Tharoor also addressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's milestone of becoming India's longest-serving elected Prime Minister. He offered measured congratulations, noting that Modi's 'compelling presence on the national stage has managed to leave his stamp on many aspects of Indian life, society and politics.'

'He has a tremendous amount of dynamism and energy, he has a vision, he is a powerful orator, perhaps one of the best orators the country has seen in Hindi,' Tharoor said. However, he was careful to point out that Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi served longer cumulative terms, albeit across separate tenures.

Broader Context

The Ram Temple donation row arrives at a politically sensitive moment. The Ayodhya temple, inaugurated in early 2024, carries enormous symbolic weight for millions of Hindus and has been at the centre of decades of legal and political contestation. Any allegation of financial misconduct at the shrine is therefore not merely an administrative matter — it strikes at the heart of religious sentiment. This is not the first time temple finances in India have come under scrutiny; several major shrines across states have faced similar controversies over the management of hundi collections and donated valuables.

As investigations into the alleged irregularities continue, calls are growing for greater transparency and independent oversight of temple fund management.