Govt dismisses reports on temple gold monetisation, says claims are false and baseless
New Delhi, May 19
The finance ministry, government of India, on Tuesday clarified that reports and social media posts claiming that temple gold holdings will be monetised or used under any proposed gold bond scheme are false and misleading.
In an official clarification by the Ministry of Finance, the government said no proposal has been approved to issue gold bonds to temples in exchange for gold reserves held by temple trusts or religious institutions across the country.
The clarification came after media reports and online posts circulated claims that the Centre was planning to introduce a scheme to monetise gold held by temple trusts and religious institutions.
The Ministry of Finance, in a post on X said, "Speculation and rumours suggesting that the Government is planning to introduce monetisation scheme for Gold held by temple trusts, or any religious institution, across the country are completely false, misleading and without any basis."
The finance ministry also rejected claims that gold plates on temple towers, doors or other structures would be treated as strategic gold reserves of the country.
It said, "Claims suggesting that gold plates on temple towers, doors, or other temple structures will be considered as 'Strategic Gold Reserves of India' are false, misleading, and entirely baseless."
The government urged citizens not to believe or circulate such unverified claims, stating that such rumours can create confusion and mislead the public.
It also said that any decision related to government schemes or policy matters will be communicated only through official press releases, government websites and authorised public communication channels.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The government should also think about why such rumours spread in the first place. Maybe if they were more transparent about temple-related decisions, people wouldn't fall for fake news so easily. Just saying.
Good to see the ministry being proactive. But honestly, with all the economic challenges, maybe they should explore a voluntary scheme where temples can choose to participate. Transparency and consent are key.
This is why we need to verify before sharing anything on WhatsApp groups. My uncle was literally planning to protest outside the local temple tomorrow! 😅 Glad this was cleared up.
Fake news is the real enemy here. Whether it's about temples or anything else, people should only believe official government sources. The finance ministry did good by issuing this clarification on X.
As someone who donated to a temple trust, I was worried for a moment! Temple gold belongs to the deities and devotees, not the government. Glad to see common sense prevailing. Now focus on job creation instead.
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