Raj Thackeray Targets PM Modi Over Alleged Ram Mandir Donation Scam

Mumbai: MNS Chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the alleged donation and fund embezzlement scam at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir.

“During the Pran Pratishtha (consecration ceremony), PM Modi took full spiritual center stage, but is now completely silent when the temple’s donation box has been compromised,” he said.

In a post on social media platform X, Thackeray said that the BJP top leadership is absolute silent even after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) confirmed financial irregularities in the temple’s donation counts.

Thackeray pointed out that during the Pran Pratishtha (consecration ceremony), PM Modi performed the inner sanctum rituals alone. He questioned why the Prime Minister, who took full spiritual center stage then, is now completely silent when the temple's donation box (hundi) has been compromised.

The MNS chief remarked that the central leadership has grown so accustomed to poaching and engineering defections among opposition MPs and MLAs that they seem completely unbothered by the ‘poaching’ of financial offerings made by common devotees at the doors of God.

Thackeray raised suspicions that the lack of central attention might be intentional. He questioned whether the BJP is ignoring Ayodhya because the local electorate defeated them in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, effectively “pushing Lord Ram back into exile (Vanvaas).”

The MNS chief also attacked Home Minister Amit Shah, claiming the latter is too busy dreaming about breaking opposition parties and securing the Prime Minister’s chair to care about the corruption unfolding inside the Ram Mandir.

Thackeray also claimed that the scam is being weaponised by internal rivals within the BJP to corner and damage Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ahead of the state assembly elections.

Expressing anger over how hard-earned donations and family gold jewelry given by poor devotees are lining the pockets of corrupt trustees and priests, he urged people to worship the gods but completely stop offering any monetary donations to these managing trusts.

The controversy erupted following serious allegations that around Rs 7 to 7.5 crore from the temple offerings went unaccounted for. Following a formal complaint, the Uttar Pradesh government formed a 3-member SIT.

The preliminary probe confirmed the embezzlement, leading to the arrest and subsequent 14-day judicial custody of eight accused individuals, including cash-counting personnel linked to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.