Congress leader Pramod Tiwari.
| Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma
Senior Congress leader Pramod Tiwari on Sunday (July 12, 2026) alleged that the real culprits in the alleged donation embezzlement at the Ayodhya Ram temple are being protected by the administration and the government machinery and reiterated the demand for a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the matter.

“I have been a Minister in the Uttar Pradesh government since the 1980s, when the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) started the agitation over the issue (Ram Janmabhoomi movement). I have witnessed from the beginning how they cheated common Hindu devotees. When the temple was inaugurated in 2024, it was against the established Vedic scriptures and Hindu shastras, and the Shankaracharyas boycotted the ceremony. Now, the reality is coming out in public about how common people are being cheated in the name of faith,” said Mr. Tiwari, Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and a Congress MP.
“The eight individuals arrested are very small fish in this organised corruption nexus, which looted our holy temple. The real culprits are being protected by Delhi and the government machinery. I reiterate the demand for a Supreme Court-monitored inquiry in the Ayodhya issue,” he said.
Mr. Tiwari said when serious concerns are raised regarding the temple’s offerings, financial oversight, and administrative practices, citizens expect clarity, transparency, and accountability from the government.

“The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya stands as the ultimate symbol of the faith, devotion, and cultural consciousness of millions of Indians. In light of the serious allegations being made about the temple’s offerings, financial management, and administrative procedures, people expect clarity and accountability,” said the senior Congress leader.
Published – July 12, 2026 08:31 pm IST
