Ram Mandir donation row: UP deputy CM Brajesh Pathak raises Babri Masjid funds, madrasa issues

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Friday reacted strongly to the controversy over alleged embezzlement of donations made for the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, questioning why there was no discussion about funds collected for the Babri Masjid.

“The Babri Masjid also collected donations. Nobody is asking what happened to that money. The Samajwadi Party and Congress are only doing appeasement politics and targeting Sanatan Dharma to attract Muslim votes,” Pathak said.

He also raised allegations of illegal activities in some madrasas, claiming there were concerns about activities in border districts. “What is happening in the madrasas? What are the maulanas doing there? People should think about that as well,” he said.

It was not immediately clear whether Pathak was referring to the original Babri Masjid, which was demolished in 1992, or the proposed mosque project on the alternate land allotted after the Supreme Court’s 2019 verdict. The designated land for the new mosque is located in Dhannipur, around 18 km from the original site.

The Ram Mandir’s Pran Pratishtha ceremony was held in January 2024, following the Supreme Court’s 2019 judgment on the disputed land. The court awarded the site for temple construction while directing the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government to provide 5 acres of alternate land for a mosque, observing that the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid was unlawful.

What is the Ram Mandir donation controversy?

The controversy began after Samajwadi Party MLA Tej Narayan Pandey alleged that donations worth around ₹7.5 crore meant for the Ram Mandir had been stolen.

Following Opposition criticism and a court petition seeking an investigation, the Uttar Pradesh government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine the allegations.

An FIR was later registered based on a complaint by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust, and eight people have been arrested so far, including Ramashankar Yadav alias Tinnu, an aide of trust general secretary Anukalp Mishra, along with Avinash Shukla, Karunesh Pandey, Manish Yadav, Lavkush Mishra, Ramashankar Mishra, and retired bank employee Subhash Srivastava, who handled donation counting.

Trust general secretary Champat Rai was also questioned by the SIT in connection with the case.

Pathak responds to Opposition allegations

Opposition parties have alleged that the investigation has focused only on lower-level employees while sparing senior officials. Responding to the charge, Pathak said the probe would be impartial and that the BJP government follows a “zero tolerance” policy towards corruption.

“Are you in the police or are we? The police will investigate the matter impartially,” he said.