Ayodhya: The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has strongly denied allegations by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav that crores of rupees were missing from the donation fund of the Ram temple, asserting that its financial operations are fully transparent and regularly audited.
Responding to the allegations on Sunday, trust general secretary Champat Rai said the collection, counting and auditing of donations are conducted through a well-defined process in the presence of trust representatives and officials of State Bank of India.
“Hundi counting and auditing are continuous processes. Audits have been underway for several days and no irregularities or shortage of funds have been detected so far,” Rai said.
The clarification comes after Akhilesh Yadav alleged on social media that crores of rupees had gone missing from the temple’s donation fund and called for judicial intervention into the matter.
Rejecting the allegations as baseless, the trust appealed to devotees not to be misled by rumours. Rai reiterated that all financial transactions of the trust are carried out with accountability and transparency.
Sources said the trust has informed the local administration about the controversy, though no formal police complaint has been filed so far. Officials are said to be keeping a close watch on the situation.
The exchange has triggered a fresh political row over the management of donations at the Ram temple, one of the country’s most prominent religious institutions.
