VHP Asks Ayodhya Police

 to Question Kejriwal, Priyanka Gandhi Over Ram Temple Donation Allegations

Ayodhya/New Delhi, July 5 — The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has formally asked Ayodhya police to summon Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra,

and several other opposition leaders for questioning in connection with the ongoing investigation into alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple.

In a letter dated July 4, addressed to Ayodhya Deputy Superintendent of Police Ashutosh Tiwari, who is leading the probe, VHP International President Alok Kumar argued that the opposition leaders had made detailed public allegations — including specific rupee figures — that were widely broadcast on television and social media. Kumar contended that leaders who could cite such precise numbers must have some personal knowledge of the case, and he asked investigators to call them in to explain the basis for their claims, disclose their sources, and produce any supporting documents or evidence.

The letter singles out several opposition figures by name. According to the VHP's account, Kejriwal had alleged that roughly ₹200 crore in cash was stolen from the temple, along with sacred items such as Lord Ram's garland, ceremonial footwear, jewelry, diamonds, silver bricks, and lamps. Kejriwal reportedly also questioned why the Uttar Pradesh Police, the Enforcement Directorate, and the CBI had stayed silent on the matter, and suggested a thorough probe could prove damaging for the state government.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's contribution to the controversy, as cited in the VHP letter, centered on a pointed question: could junior staff alone have disabled CCTV cameras and carried out the alleged diversion of offerings worth crores of rupees, or did the scheme require the involvement of more influential figures? The VHP wants her to substantiate that line of questioning with evidence rather than leave it as public speculation.

Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav was also named in the letter over his claim that the scam could be worth as much as ₹20,000 crore, with cash, gold, silver, and other valuables donated by devotees from India and abroad allegedly going missing. AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh was referenced as well, though Kumar clarified in the letter that Singh has already appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and submitted documents — related, he noted, to a separate set of allegations concerning inflated land purchases rather than the donation-box theft claims that are the subject of the VHP's complaint.

The VHP's letter did not stop at requesting testimony. It explicitly raised the possibility of legal consequences if the leaders' claims turn out to be unsupported. The organization argued that no one should be allowed to make sweeping allegations that stoke hatred and enmity without being held accountable, and suggested that if the claims are found to be knowingly false or made recklessly, the investigating agency could consider appropriate legal action.

This intervention comes as the underlying probe continues to widen. An FIR in the case was registered on June 25, following a preliminary report submitted by the SIT on June 23, which led to the arrest of eight people. In the aftermath, former trustee Anil Mishra and Trust General Secretary Champat Rai both resigned from their positions, citing moral responsibility for the alleged lapses. Ayodhya Police are expected to continue questioning those already arrested as the investigation proceeds, and the SIT has also been tasked with re-auditing the Ayodhya Trust's accounts covering a five-year period.

The controversy has become a flashpoint in national politics, with opposition parties using the allegations to target the state and central governments over oversight of the temple trust, while the VHP — an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) — has pushed back by demanding that critics prove their claims or face consequences. Notably, the VHP has reportedly shifted its own Central Management Committee meeting from Ayodhya to New Delhi amid the ongoing controversy.

Temple authorities have sought to reassure devotees that day-to-day operations remain unaffected. Mahant Dinendra Das said that rituals and worship at the temple are continuing without disruption, and maintained that transparency measures around handling of donations have since been strengthened.

As the SIT investigation deepens, questions have also been raised about accountability further up the temple trust's hierarchy, with the VHP's own leadership reportedly suggesting that Champat Rai himself could be found guilty of negligence as the probe expands beyond junior staff. Whether Kejriwal, Priyanka Gandhi, and the other named opposition leaders actually appear before investigators — and what evidence, if any, they present — is likely to shape the political and legal trajectory of the case in the coming weeks.