Amid controversies surrounding irregularities in donations and handling of jewelry at various temples, including Ayodhya’s Ram Temple, the Shri Badrinath temple in Uttarakhand, and Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu and Kashmir, the Samajwadi Party has called for a Supreme Court-monitored investigation. Allegations arose regarding the substitution of silver jewelry with fake ones at the Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi, prompting advocate Deepak Sharma to file a complaint with the Crime Branch Inspector General.
Samajwadi Party MLA Ravidas Mehrotra highlighted that at the Vaishno Devi Temple, 550 kilograms of silver offerings were reportedly replaced with fake silver, leading to the disappearance of the original silver. He accused the BJP of taking control of trusts in various temples nationwide and misappropriating donations, offerings, as well as gold and silver ornaments. The party demanded the establishment of a committee led by a Supreme Court judge to investigate donation theft allegations involving Hindu temples across the country.
Congress spokesperson Atul Londe Patil criticized the BJP and RSS for the embezzlement allegations, pointing out that individuals linked to these organizations were involved in the temple trusts. He expressed concerns over thefts occurring despite public knowledge and accused some individuals of supporting these actions. Patil emphasized the exploitation of faith for political gains, stating that faith was being used for political purposes.
BJP spokesperson Abhijeet Jasrotia emphasized the need for a comprehensive investigation into the allegations, particularly concerning matters of faith. He expressed confidence in the judicial system to deliver justice in such cases. Additionally, Congress Media and Publicity Department Chairman, Pawan Khera, echoed the SP’s call for a Supreme Court-monitored probe into alleged financial irregularities and donation misappropriation linked to the Ram Temple trust in Ayodhya. Khera criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for forming the trust and highlighted the silence of the PM and RSS following corruption allegations related to the temple.
