Congress national general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala launched a scathing attack on the BJP’s silence in the alleged case related to theft in Ram Mandir donations. He referred to the alleged incident as a “dacoity of Ram Bhakt’s sentiments”.
“The alleged loot, daylight robbery and embezzlement comprise multiple parts. Firstly, the land purchase by the trust is marred by multiple scams, where properties allegedly increased in value thousands of times within minutes and hours before being sold to the Ram Mandir Trust. Obviously, money was siphoned off,” said Surjewala on the sidelines of a programme “Brahmin Shakti Sammelan” at Sarv Brahmin Dharamshala in the city on Sunday.
He said the second part of this alleged issue involves commissions of up to 40 per cent in the construction of the Ram Mandir. The third part, he alleged, concerns the siphoning off of gold and silver bricks, jewellery, and offerings donated by devotees from across the country, which he claimed have gone missing. He further alleged that items such as a gold “Ramcharitmanas” gifted by a former Home Secretary to the Government of India and more than 100 silver bricks donated by the Sindhi community have reportedly disappeared without a trace.
Despite these allegations, Surjewala claimed that only a few lower-level employees had been named, while no senior functionary or member of the trust had been named in the FIR. He further alleged that the trust was constituted under the directions of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and questioned who should be held responsible and accountable. He also questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government over the matter.
Surjewala said that while people had often heard of “exploitation in the name of Lord Ram”, allegations of theft and corruption involving donations meant for Lord Ram’s temple were deeply disturbing.
“I have raised this issue in 2021 and have presented related documents on multiple occasions. Fresh reports have once again brought the matter into focus. Similar financial irregularities had surfaced at temples in Vrindavan and Kedarnath. There should be accountability in the management of religious institutions,” he added.
Accompanied by his son and Kaithal MLA Aditya Surjewala, the Congress MP also accused the BJP of politically sidelining Brahmin leaders, particularly in Uttar Pradesh. He alleged that the party had neglected and insulted the community despite its historical contribution to the country’s leadership. He further claimed that the BJP government in Haryana had repeatedly hurt the sentiments of the Brahmin community through its actions and decisions.
Calling for unity among Brahmins, Surjewala said that a united community would be the strongest response to “BJP’s divisive politics”.
