India
-Oneindia Staff
Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal has escalated his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over alleged irregularities linked to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, asking whether the “real culprits” in the Ram Mandir donation and land controversies will face action.
AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal alleged significant irregularities in Ram Mandir land deals and donations, questioning the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust’s probe and asking if powerful individuals linked to PM Modi would face action.
Addressing a press conference with Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj on Thursday, Kejriwal alleged that large-scale wrongdoing had taken place in land purchases, construction work and temple offerings. He claimed the ongoing investigation would not reach influential people unless the Centre allowed a broader probe.
The allegations are politically sensitive because the Ayodhya Ram Mandir is among the most prominent religious and public projects in India. Crores of devotees have contributed to the temple over several years. Any claim of irregularity in donations, land deals or administration therefore carries public, religious and political significance.
Kejriwal questions SIT scope in Ram Mandir donation case
Kejriwal said a Special Investigation Team had been formed only after public pressure increased. He questioned the purpose of the SIT and claimed it was not examining earlier allegations relating to land purchases and construction contracts.
“When our MP Sanjay Singh took documents related to the land scam to the SIT, the SIT said it was not investigating the land scam and was only looking into the offerings,” Kejriwal said. He asked who would then investigate the alleged land and construction-related irregularities.
The AAP leader also questioned how an SIT could be set up before an FIR, saying the process itself raised doubts. He alleged that the move was meant to “throw dust in people’s eyes” and protect powerful people, rather than pursue a full investigation.
Kejriwal claimed eight lower-level persons had been arrested in what he described as a “fake FIR”. He alleged that police did not seek their custody for interrogation and that they were sent directly to judicial custody. According to him, this showed investigators were not trying to identify any larger conspiracy.
Land purchase allegations return to centre stage
A major part of Kejriwal’s attack focused on land transactions in Ayodhya. He referred to allegations first raised in 2021, including claims that land bought for Rs 2 crore was resold within minutes to the temple trust for Rs 18 crore.
He also cited other alleged transactions, claiming land valued at Rs 3 crore was bought for Rs 24 crore, land valued at Rs 9 crore was bought for Rs 55 crore, and land valued at Rs 14 crore was bought for Rs 95 crore. These claims have been politically contested earlier and remain central to AAP’s demand for a wider inquiry.
Kejriwal alleged that such transactions were in the public domain and asked how the Prime Minister could have been unaware of them. He said Modi had personally created the trust, selected its members and appointed Champat Rai as general secretary.
“I cannot say, and I have no evidence, that money reached Modi ji. I will not comment on that,” Kejriwal said. “But the entire sequence shows that no effort was spared to cover up the matter and protect the guilty.”
The AAP chief further alleged that engineers had complained of 40 per cent commission demands in construction tenders. He also claimed that theft of offerings was caught on CCTV 70 times in 40 days and that eight months of CCTV footage had been deleted.
AAP seeks answers from Prime Minister
Kejriwal said the presence of a Home Ministry official in the trust made the matter more serious. He claimed the Prime Minister could not plausibly say he was unaware of repeated complaints regarding land, construction and offerings.
He went further, claiming that he had learnt through sources that the Intelligence Bureau had submitted at least 12 reports to the Prime Minister about alleged irregularities. This claim was not accompanied by documentary evidence during the press conference.
The former Delhi chief minister said a previous SIT formed by the Uttar Pradesh government in 2021 had led to no visible action. He said no major arrest, FIR or public accountability followed from that process, and alleged that the current SIT could meet the same fate.
Kejriwal also referred to statements attributed to some public figures, including Brij Bhushan and Bageshwar Dham, claiming that “big names” could emerge if people spoke openly. He used these remarks to argue that those arrested were only “pawns” and not the real decision-makers.
The BJP and the temple trust were not quoted in the material available for this article. The allegations remain claims made by Kejriwal and AAP, and any official response from the government, trust or investigating agencies will be crucial in determining the next stage of the controversy.
The issue now turns on the scope and credibility of the investigation. Kejriwal has demanded answers on land deals, construction contracts, deleted CCTV footage and offerings. For devotees and donors, the central question is whether the probe will be limited to smaller arrests or examine the full chain of responsibility.
