New Delhi: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has caused a stir by alleging that crores of rupees from the donations made to the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya had gone missing. In response, a senior official of the trust that manages the temple, admitted that an audit was ongoing. However, instead of clearing the air, the vague clarification by the trust, and a studied silence by the Bharatya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state, to Yadav’s serious allegations have only fuelled further questions and a demand for an investigation.Taking to X, Yadav on Sunday (June 7) alleged that “crores of rupees in offerings” to the Ram Mandir have been found missing. Yadav demanded that courts take suo motu cognisance of the matter, stating that it was “directly linked to the deep faith in Lord Ram held by the entire Sanatan society at a global level.”The former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh also questioned the government’s “silence” over the issue, calling it “suspicious.”समस्त विश्व में भगवान राम के उपासकों के लिए ये एक बेहद संवेदनशील समाचार है कि ‘राम मंदिर’ के चढ़ावे की करोड़ों की रकम गायब पायी गई है।ये मंदिर ट्रस्ट के लिए अत्यंत शर्मनाक स्थिति है। कोई भी सफ़ाई देने के लिए सामने नहीं आना चाहता है।न्यायालय से स्वतः संज्ञान लेने की माँग है…— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) June 7, 2026Champat Rai, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader who was once an accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case, stepped up on behalf of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust as its general secretary, to respond to Yadav’s allegations.Rai said that the Trust undergoes periodic internal audits of its works and a similar process was currently on. However, he said, “nothing noteworthy” had come to light so far.“Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust undergoes internal audits of various works from time to time. An audit also happens of the hundi counting room. The audit of the hundi counting room is jointly undertaken by the trustees and workers of the Trust and the employees of the State Bank of India. This process goes on for several days. The same exercise is currently underway. So far, nothing noteworthy has come to anyone’s attention,” said Rai in a short video statement.However, his response did not seem convincing to Yadav, who shot back saying, “The clarification itself is not clear.” Yadav said that Rai’s “verbal formality” was suspicious and showed that the Trust considered such allegations routine and “so ordinary that they no longer even consider it ‘noteworthy’.”The SP president further said that all members of the Trust should come together and provide an explanation. When no specific individual was at the centre of the suspected manipulation of the donation money, a clarification from Rai did not make any sense, he said.Yadav also demanded that evidence from CCTV should be used as support to match the figures of the donation.A number of unverified reports were floating in local Hindi newspapers about the Trust allegedly initiating action against an employee for financial irregularity. SP leader and former Ayodhya MLA Pawan Pandey demanded that the Trust lodge an FIR in the matter or refute the allegations completely.When The Wire spoke to Abhimanyu Shukla, officer in-charge of the Ram Janmabhoomi police station, he said they had not received any application or complaint requesting any probe into the temple donations or action against any temple trust employee, so far.The BJP government in UP led by chief minister Yogi Adityanath has maintained an official silence over the issue. Chief Minister Adityanath is yet to comment on the allegations. However, those BJP leaders who did respond to media questions appeared to be dismissive or evasive.When reporters in Jalaun asked UP BJP president Pankaj Chaudhary for his response, he said, “This is not the government’s matter. The administration will respond to this.”Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Dinesh Sharma said it was premature to make such allegations which “hurt the sentiments” of Hindus, without first verifying the facts. He endorsed the Trust and said that Rai had already clarified the matter. “Why do misconceptions arise only about Lord Ram and matters related to him? People should avoid making allegations that could defame a religious institution without first verifying the facts,” Sharma told IANS.Mahant Dinendra Das, one of the members of the Trust, without admitting any irregularity or wrongdoing, said whatever decision the government and authorities take would be acceptable to the Trust. Talking to a news agency, Das kept the room open to speculation. He said, “If anyone has done anything wrong in this matter, then Lord Ram Himself will punish them. He will give them the appropriate punishment.”Senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Indresh Kumar was dismissive of Yadav’s allegations, calling them “false.” Yadav has neither been able to provide evidence nor is he likely to do so, said Kumar, while speaking to IANS.On Monday (June 8) morning, Lucknow-based Hindi news channel Bharat Samachar reported that four staff members of the temple were being questioned by police for alleged embezzlement of donation money. The channel claimed, without providing any verifiable source, that Rs. 5 lakh had been recovered from the account of one staff member. However, later in the day, citing unidentified police sources, Bharat Samachar reported that officials denied questioning or detaining anyone in connection with the matter.Omar Rashid is an independent journalist.