"Such people must not be spared": Mayawati on Ram Mandir donation row
Lucknow, June 30
Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Tuesday expressed serious concern over reports of alleged theft and embezzlement of offerings at the Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya, stating that such acts are "extremely serious" and those responsible should not be spared.
In a post on X, the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister also cautioned against politicising the issue and called for the adoption of a transparent accounting system for temple offerings, similar to those followed at other prominent temples across the country.
"The theft of offerings from the Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya, along with embezzlement and tampering, and the various kinds of reports that keep surfacing day after day in the media about such acts, are extremely serious and concerning. People like this should absolutely not be spared, but politicising this matter is also not right," Mayawati posted on X.
Suggesting a structural fix to ensure the sanctity of the temple's donations, the BSP supremo said that a robust accounting system is the need of the hour.
"At the same time, to ensure that no further complaints arise regarding offerings made in devotion at the temple here, it would be appropriate to promptly resolve this issue by emulating the systems in place at other renowned and famous temples across the country for maintaining accounts of offerings and the like," she added.
The BSP chief also made a broader appeal regarding the current political and social landscape of the country, advocating for a clear separation between religion and politics.
"Not only that, it would be right and constitutional for political parties like the BSP to advise, in the interest of the nation and the people, that the criminalisation of politics, the politicisation of crime, the politicisation of religion, and the blind religiosity of politics should not be allowed in the country--and this is also an appeal to fellow citizens," she stated.
The case has triggered a massive political slugfest in Uttar Pradesh, with the ruling BJP and Opposition parties trading allegations over the handling of the temple's finances, even as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe continues.
On Monday, a local court in Ayodhya remanded all the accused in the alleged donation scam to 14 days of judicial custody. The court's decision follows a high-intensity investigation by the Uttar Pradesh Police into reports of financial irregularities and the misappropriation of funds and offerings at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I don't agree with Mayawati on many things, but she's spot on here. Devotees like my grandmother save money for years to visit Ayodhya and offer their hard-earned money with pure faith. If there's corruption in Ram Mandir itself, it breaks our trust. Transparency is the only way forward.
"Criminalisation of politics, politicisation of crime, politicisation of religion"—Mayawati said it perfectly! This is exactly what's wrong with Indian politics today. Both BJP and opposition need to stop making every issue a political football. Just investigate properly and punish the guilty.
Interestingly, Mayawati is advocating for separation of religion and politics, yet her own party has often used caste and religious identities. Hypocrisy aside, she makes a valid point. The Ram Temple is a symbol of faith for crores of Hindus—any financial mismanagement there is unacceptable.
I'm a Hindu and I feel betrayed. We built this temple with so much love and sacrifice. Now these reports of embezzlement? Shame on those who are looting in the name of God. Mayawati's suggestion to implement systems from other famous temples is practical—why reinvent the wheel? प्रभु राम से प्रार्थना है कि सच्चाई सामने आए 🙏
The real issue is that even after the Supreme Court verdict and the grand temple construction, we still have these scams. It shows that mere construction of a temple doesn't guarantee morality. We need strong auditing systems and strict punishment. Mayawati is raising a valid concern—
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.