• Akhilesh Pratap Singh

One who assumes the guise of a sage (or a virtuous person)—while acting as a follower, a protector, or a devotee—solely to perpetrate deception, is referred to as a ‘Kalnemi’ in a practical sense. Ayodhya is the city of Lord Rama and the abode of the deity revered by the followers of Sanatana Dharma. The name ‘Ayodhya’ signifies a place that can never be conquered in war, or a place where conflict or combat is impossible. Ayodhya is also known as one of the ‘Sapta Mokshadayini Puris’—the seven cities that bestow liberation. It is a sacred city that grants salvation from the cycle of birth and death.

Ayodhya, Mathura, Maya, Kashi, Kanchi, Avantika, Puri, Dwaravati—these seven cities bestow liberation.

By merely remembering His name once, a human being can cross the ocean of worldly existence. Today, under the Modi-Yogi administration, Ayodhya is once again the subject of widespread discussion—though this time, the discourse is overwhelmingly negative. While the commencement of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple construction, following the Supreme Court’s order, had brought profound emotional joy to Hindus across the country and abroad, instances of corruption have since transformed that happiness and contentment into anger.

The Modi government formed a trust and appointed its own handpicked individuals to it. Citizens across the country donated thousands of crores of rupees to this trust for the temple’s construction. Work on the temple began, yet the consecration ceremony was performed while the structure was still incomplete. The reason behind this was Modi and Mohan Bhagwat’s desire to capitalize on the emotional resonance of Lord Ram’s name ahead of the elections.

Corruption and controversy erupted as soon as construction work began. The saga of corruption—starting with land acquisition and extending to the handling of donations and offerings—has turned into a major scandal involving theft and plunder at the Ram Mandir Trust. The very guardians turned out to be looters. The nation is furious, and devotees of Lord Ram are outraged. The trustees have ruthlessly plundered the people’s faith and devotion, much like Mahmud of Ghazni and Aurangzeb once looted our temples.

Layers of corruption began to peel back. Former operatives came forward and started making sweeping revelations. Seeing the matter escalate, the Uttar Pradesh government hastily constituted an SIT. Even in its preliminary investigation, the SIT uncovered widespread financial irregularities and involvement in the plunder. An FIR was lodged, and eight low-level operatives were arrested, while the ringleaders were given a clean chit. Instead of subsiding, the issue gained further momentum. In a desperate attempt at damage control, a decision was made to remove two ringleaders from the trust, and their resignations were obtained. New layers of the scam were exposed daily; fraud and theft came to light in every aspect of the temple construction. In short, the plunder became evident in every task, at every step, and at every moment of the ‘Ram Karya’ (the Ram temple project).

A massive land purchase scam came to light in 2021, sparking an outcry. The state government constituted an inquiry committee led by Special Secretary Radheshyam Mishra. There is still no information regarding its report.

From the very beginning, the temple trust was engaged in looting through highly cunning means; fraud and embezzlement permeated every aspect of the temple’s operations. Internal auditors identified numerous irregularities and offered various suggestions, yet instead of embracing transparency and integrity, the trust focused on facilitating and safeguarding its corrupt practices. Actions taken included firing whistleblowers who exposed the scams, removing or disabling CCTV cameras, and deleting recordings.

Every single action of the Trust loudly proclaims instances of looting and scams. According to a media report, an expenditure of over 113 crore was recorded for the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ (consecration) ceremony alone. An expenditure of 10.48 crore was shown for the flag-hoisting ceremony, a figure that appears suspicious. In a press release, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust stated that, from its inception up to July 6, 2026, it received donations amounting to 3,264 crore. Of this, 2,370 crore was utilized for construction and capital expenditure. Total offerings received from the beginning up to March 31, 2026, amounted to 582 crore; of this, 391 crore was spent on operational expenses, and the remaining funds are held in bank accounts.

The Trust has made public the details of its projected expenditure for the period from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026. The figures show an expenditure of 12.85 crore for ‘Bhog Prasad’ (offerings), 11.49 crore for security services, 8.98 crore for employee benefits, 9.26 crore for the ‘Anna Kshetra’ (community kitchen), and ` 10.48 crore for the temple flag-hoisting ceremony. Overall, the SIT’s interim report has found the Trust culpable in every respect. The nine-page interim report highlights widespread irregularities across 11 points.

The question now arises: why does this trust—in which no one places any trust anymore—continue to exist? Why is it not being dissolved? Why are members of the RSS, BJP, and VHP part of the trust? Why haven’t the trustees involved been arrested? Why do the Modi-Yogi governments stand by the trust? Why wasn’t a trust formed comprising saints and Shankaracharyas instead? It is because the Sangh and Modi crave power and money. They have no regard for principles, ethics, public propriety, or decorum. Be it Members of Parliament, constitutional governments, the revered Lord Ram (Maryada Purushottam), or the temple itself—all these are merely means to an end for them; power is their ultimate goal.

Now the question is whether the trust on which no one has any trust will continue to exist.

These people with unethical tendencies have become the guardians and followers of the political, social, spiritual, cultural and constitutional structure of our country. They are the ones who are playing havoc with it and destroying it, which is extremely fatal for our country. The public has also started understanding this.

(The author is a former MLA and spokesperson of the Indian National Congress)