Congress says SIT findings in Ram temple donation row ‘tip of iceberg’, questions Modi’s silence

New Delhi, Jul 11 (PTI) The Congress on Saturday claimed that the findings of the SIT probing the alleged misappropriation of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya were “just the tip of the iceberg” and questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the issue. The party also sought a Supreme Court-monitored judicial probe into the donation row, calling for accountability from those responsible. Addressing a press conference at the Delhi Congress office, Rajya Sabha MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the matter warranted an independent and credible probe to restore public confidence. He also sought immediate action against those responsible, questioned the restructuring of the temple trust with eminent and independent members, and sought a forensic audit of the trust's accounts from its inception. "If the intention is to restore public trust, there should be a judicial inquiry led by a very senior person from the Supreme Court whose name itself inspires confidence. There should also be a forensic audit of the Trust's accounts from the time it was established till today," Singhvi said. He alleged that the arrests made so far were limited to lower-level functionaries and questioned why no senior officials had been held accountable. "The real question is not who committed the theft, but who allowed it to happen under their noses. There are MoUs and SOPs between the State Bank of India and the Trust. Yet, no responsibility has been fixed beyond the lowest level," he said. Referring to findings of what he described as Special Investigation Team’s (SIT) preliminary audit, Singhvi alleged that a large amount had been spent on functions organised by the Trust, including around Rs 113 crore on the Pran Pratishtha ceremony on January 22 in 2024 and over Rs 10 crore on a flag-hoisting event held later that year. He claimed these findings represented only the "tip of the iceberg." Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav questioned Modi's silence, saying that it was unacceptable if an incident affecting a place of deep religious faith did not elicit a response from the country's leadership. "This is not merely a case of financial irregularity or embezzlement of crores. It is an attack on the faith of Hindus. The entire matter should be investigated under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge," Yadav said. PTI MSJ KSI KSI