APCC demands judicial probe into Ayodhya Ram temple donation case

The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Saturday questioned the silence of the NDA leaders in the State, including Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan, over the alleged financial irregularities involving donations to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, despite their earlier strong stand on Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD)-related issues.

At a press conference, APCC vice-president Kolanukonda Shivaji asked why political parties were not demanding action against those allegedly responsible for diverting devotees’ contributions and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to order a judicial inquiry headed by a sitting judge.

Citing judicial oversight in the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple, Puri Jagannath temple, and Sabarimala temple, the Congress leader said similar intervention was needed to ensure transparency and protect the temple assets.

Alleging that the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust had betrayed the faith of millions through irregularities involving hundreds of crores of rupees, Mr. Shivaji demanded the arrest and prosecution of the Trust’s general secretary Champat Rai. He opposed an SIT probe, arguing that only an inquiry by a sitting High Court judge would ensure accountability.

Mr. Shivaji noted that Mr. Modi, who had personally overseen the Ram Temple project from its foundation to the consecration ceremony, was silent now. He also congratulated Rahul Gandhi on completing two years as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

He also demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET UG 2026 paper leak and called for the RSS to be brought under a legally recognised regulatory framework, urging RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to clarify the organisation’s legal status and ensure transparency.