NEW DELHI (Kashmir English): Indian police are investigating allegations of donation embezzlement at the Ram Mandir temple built on grounds of razed Babri Masjid in the Uttar Pradesh state.
The state in the country’s north has been a focal point of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu-first politics.
Babri Masjid
The Mughal-era Masjid stood for centuries before being torn down by Hindu zealots and the temple was inaugurated in 2024 with great fanfare by Modi himself.
According to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a Special Investigations Team had been constituted to look into alleged syphoning of cash offerings made by devotees.
“We have set up an SIT inquiry on the recommendation of the trust” that administers the temple, said Adityanath, a firebrand Hindu monk, at a public function.
“If anyone has any documentary proof, please provide it to the SIT,” he added.
The scale of the alleged embezzlement is not clear but local media reports and opposition parties say it could amount to more than $20 million.
The construction of the temple cost an estimated $240 million, all of which was sourced entirely from public donations, according to the project’s backers.
According to The Indian Express newspaper, daily offerings from devotees average around $10,000, going up to $60,000 on auspicious days.
