AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal, MP, on Saturday (July 11, 2026) demanded a Supreme Court-monitored judicial investigation into the alleged misappropriation of donations at the Ayodhya Ram temple, alleging that the “real culprits” were being protected.
Addressing the media persons at Guruvayur on Saturday, Mr. Venugopal described the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe ordered by the Uttar Pradesh government as a “mere farce” that was not proceeding in the right direction. He termed the alleged fraud “the biggest temple scam the country has witnessed”, saying the money siphoned off belonged to devotees.
He alleged that the scam had taken place with the knowledge of the office-bearers of the trust constituted by the Centre to oversee the temple. He also claimed that CCTV footage had been deliberately erased to destroy evidence and that security personnel’s warnings had been ignored. The trust, he said, had not been dissolved despite the allegations.
Accusing the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh of shielding the accused, Mr. Venugopal questioned why they were unwilling to agree to a judicial inquiry under the direct supervision of the Supreme Court if they had “nothing to hide”.
He said the Congress would raise the issue forcefully during the Parliament session beginning on July 20 and seek a response from the Prime Minister. Alleging that the BJP was using religion for both political gains and corruption, Mr. Venugopal said similar allegations emerging from Badrinath and Kedarnath reflected a pattern of mismanagement of temple affairs under the party’s rule.
Published - July 11, 2026 12:23 pm IST