New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) The Congress on Friday mounted a coordinated nationwide campaign over the alleged financial irregularities involving donations and offerings at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

The Congress demanded a Supreme Court-monitored investigation, a forensic audit of temple funds, and the reconstitution of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

Senior Congress leaders across multiple states accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre of remaining silent on allegations they claimed had shaken the faith of millions of devotees.

The party also launched a parallel attack on the Union government over alleged failures in the education sector.

Leading the offensive, Congress MP Pawan Khera reiterated the party’s demand for a high-level independent probe led by a sitting or retired High Court judge under the supervision of the Supreme Court.

Addressing a press conference at Rajiv Bhawan along with Jammu and Kashmir Congress leaders Raman Bhalla and Ravinder Sharma, Khera alleged that a major financial fraud involving donations to the Ram Temple had hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus across the country.

He asserted that people had lost faith in the existing Special Investigation Team.

Khera also sought the dissolution of the existing temple Trust and its reconstitution with Shankaracharyas, saints and other religious leaders.

In Lucknow, Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda questioned the resignation of key Trust functionaries, including Champat Rai and Anil Mishra, asking why they stepped down if fund management had been transparent.

He also highlighted expenditure of Rs 113 crore on the Pran Pratishtha ceremony and more than Rs 10 crore on a flag-hoisting event, alleging serious irregularities in the handling of temple funds.

Echoing similar demands in Indore, Congress’ Madhya Pradesh In-charge Harish Chaudhary said the issue was not merely about finances but about the faith of crores of devotees who had donated generously for the temple’s construction.

He demanded an FIR, arrests of those found guilty, a forensic audit covering donations, offerings, land purchases and expenditure, and the transparent reconstitution of the Temple Trust.

Chaudhary asserted that Lord Ram belonged to the entire nation and not to any political party.

The Congress campaign extended to Karnataka, where party workers staged a protest in Bengaluru demanding a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the alleged theft of cash and gold ornaments offered by devotees at the Ayodhya temple.

Led by Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) General Secretary S. Manohar, protesters carried out a public awareness campaign featuring a person dressed as Lord Ram and distributed pamphlets seeking action against those allegedly responsible.

The Congress leaders accused the BJP-led Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government of shielding those involved and demanded prosecution of all guilty persons.

They alleged that donations collected in the name of the Ram temple had been misappropriated and criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ‘maintaining silence’.

In Coimbatore, senior Congress leader M. Pallam Raju alleged that the BJP had politically utilised Lord Ram since the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and claimed the Trust overseeing the temple had been hand-picked by the Prime Minister.

Raju asked why Prime Minister Modi was not addressing concerns affecting the faith of millions of Ram devotees.

Meanwhile, the Odisha Pradesh Youth Congress organised its “Chhatron Ki Goonj” programme in Bhubaneswar, demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, an investigation into his alleged links with examination paper leak networks, and reforms to ensure leak-free examinations.

Indian Youth Congress President Uday Bhanu Chib alleged repeated paper leaks, widespread student distress and rising unemployment among engineering graduates, accusing the BJP-led Union government of failing to protect students’ interests and calling for a nationwide movement to reform the education system.

–IANS

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