Pinarayi Vijayan seeks SC-monitored probe into Ram Temple embezzlement case

Thiruvananthapuram: Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into allegations of large-scale financial irregularities in donations collected from devotees and the public for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

In a Facebook post, the senior CPI(M) leader and former Chief Minister described the reports of alleged financial misconduct as “extremely serious”, and said they raised disturbing questions about the misuse of people’s faith and religious sentiments.

He alleged that those who had exploited public devotion for political gains had also engaged in organised financial fraud under its cover.

Vijayan claimed that the trustees of the Ayodhya Ram Temple Trust had close links with organisations affiliated to the Sangh Parivar and said they were duty-bound to explain how the money collected from millions of devotees had been spent.

He asserted that the public had the right to know where the donations had gone. The Opposition leader also called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to respond to the allegations, noting that he had played a prominent role in the Ram Temple consecration ceremony.

He said the trust, constituted by the Union government through an official parliamentary notification, was now under a cloud of suspicion, making accountability and transparency imperative.

According to Vijayan, the controversy surrounding the temple funds reflected what he described as the “true character” of Sangh Parivar politics.

He alleged that public faith had been exploited not only for political purposes but also for financial gain.

Calling for an impartial investigation, Vijayan urged the Central government to order a high-level inquiry under the direct supervision of the Supreme Court. He maintained that only an independent judicially monitored investigation could establish the truth, fix accountability and restore the confidence of millions of devotees who had contributed to the temple project.

The remarks, made through his official Facebook post, have added a fresh political dimension to the controversy over the management of donations collected for the construction of the Ayodhya Ram Temple.

Eight people have been arrested by the SIT, which is probing the case.

IANS