BENGALURU — Congress leaders and workers staged a demonstration disguised as devotion on Tuesday, holding a special prayer at the Shri Ram Temple in Rajajinagar to demand a transparent, independent judicial inquiry into reported financial irregularities at the Ayodhya Ram Temple.
The protest follows allegations that over ₹200 crore worth of cash, gold, and silver offered by devotees has been misappropriated. Activists offered a symbolic donation of ₹5,801 during the service, praying for stringent legal action against those responsible.
Demand for Supreme Court Oversight
The Uttar Pradesh government has reportedly formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the matter, resulting in several arrests. However, demonstrators argued that an administrative probe is insufficient given the scale of the alleged fraud. They are calling for an inquiry headed by a sitting or retired Supreme Court judge to eliminate political or administrative influence.
“Offerings made by devotees represent the sacred faith of millions of Indians,” said S. Manohar, General Secretary of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC). “If any financial irregularity or misappropriation has taken place in the management of these offerings, every individual directly or indirectly responsible—including officials and employees—must be brought to justice in accordance with the law.”
Ensuring Public Accountability
The leaders emphasized that safeguarding public faith is both a moral and constitutional duty. They demanded that the SIT’s progress and findings be made public immediately rather than shielded from scrutiny.
“The investigation must remain free from external interference, and legal action should be initiated against anyone found guilty, irrespective of their position or affiliation,” Manohar added, stressing that public disclosure must continue until the case reaches its logical conclusion.
The event drew significant local political backing. Prominent attendees alongside KPCC General Secretary S. Manohar included former BBMP Mayor Padmavathi, Rajajinagar Block Congress President Apple Nagaraj, former BBMP Corporator Krishnamurthy, and Congress Spokesperson M. S. Anand Kumar, alongside numerous Youth Congress members and local party workers.
