New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence over the issue of "embezzlement" of Ram temple donations and alleged that attempts are being made to save the "big fish" and take action against small employees.
In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed that several irregularities relating to land purchase and construction of the temple have also come to light.
"After the theft of offerings at the Ram temple in Ayodhya came to light, several major irregularities related to land purchase and construction have also surfaced.
"Despite all this, Prime Minister Modi remains silent and the entire BJP-RSS apparatus is attempting to protect the big fish by taking action against a few small employees," Ramesh said in a post in Hindi on X.
Addressing a press conference here, Congress leader Surinder Rajput said Modi cannot escape responsibility in the Ram temple "donation-theft case" as it was he who had established the trust to look after the management of the shrine.
He also questioned the involvement of people with a specific ideology in this trust.
"In the donation-embezzlement issue, a few small fish are being used as bait to protect the big fish. In this entire matter, the needle of suspicion also points towards the RSS and the VHP, and we demand answers from them," Rajput said.
He said it was Modi who had laid the foundation stone of the Ram temple and it was he who had performed the "Pran Pratishtha" (consecration) of the deity.
"When a big sin of stealing the offerings has been committed, Prime Minister Modi should clarify. The Ram temple is a matter of faith for crores of people and the prime minister, the RSS and the VHP cannot escape responsibility," the Congress leader said.
He also demanded that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) clarify whether it had any role in the "donation theft" and asked why the temple trust was kept out of the purview of the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
"If the trust is entirely religious, why were only people connected to the BJP-RSS placed in it? The prime minister will have to answer these questions," he said.
