Amid Donation Row, Raut Says BJP's 'Own Ghaznavis' Looted Ram Mandir; Seeks Bhagwat's Intervention

Last Updated:June 22, 2026, 12:00 IST

Sanjay Raut accused the BJP of shielding those behind alleged Ram Temple donation irregularities and urged RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to step in as the SIT probe continues.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Monday intensified his attack on the BJP over the ongoing controversy surrounding alleged financial irregularities linked to donations made at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, accusing the ruling party of “looting" the shrine and urging RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to intervene.

Referring to the allegations surrounding the handling of temple offerings, Raut drew comparisons with historical invaders frequently cited by BJP leaders and questioned why the ruling party was not addressing the controversy.

“It was BJP’s own ‘Ghaznavi‘ who looted the Ram Temple, not the Mughals," Raut said.

Appealing directly to Mohan Bhagwat, he added, “I appeal to Mohan Bhagwat. Just as you helped build the Ram Temple, we too played our part. Look at how the temple is being looted today. Neither Alauddin Khilji nor Mahmud of Ghazni came to loot it."

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader alleged that BJP leaders often invoke historical examples of temple destruction while remaining silent on allegations related to the Ram Temple.

“Prime Minister Modi often speaks about the Mughals looting temples. Why is the BJP silent on the looting of the Ram Temple by its own ‘Ghaznavis‘?" he asked.

Raut further said, “BJP leaders repeatedly say that the Mughals looted temples. But these are the new Mughals. It is the BJP that is looting the temple."

Drawing a parallel with the Somnath Temple, he added, “Prime Minister Modi often asks who looted the Somnath Temple. He says it was Mahmud of Ghazni. Then, who looted the Ram Temple? It was looted by the BJP’s own Ghaznavis."

Questioning the effectiveness of the ongoing probe, Raut said, “Prime Minister Modi has not spoken a single word on this issue so far. What will the Special Investigation Team do? The report will simply be suppressed."

He also issued a political warning to the ruling party, saying, “This government came to power with the blessings of Lord Ram, and it will be forced out of power by Lord Ram’s curse."

Raut’s remarks come amid an ongoing investigation into allegations of financial irregularities involving donations made at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

The Uttar Pradesh government, on June 14, constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged scam involving offerings made at the Ram Mandir after a request from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir Trust.

The SIT comprises Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, IG Kiran S and Special Secretary (Finance) Neel Ratan.

The panel has been directed to submit its preliminary and final reports at the earliest.

The controversy has gained political attention following allegations that donations made by devotees may have been misappropriated.

Earlier, RJD MP Sudhakar Singh sent a legal notice to the trustees of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust seeking transparency regarding donations and expenditure related to the Ram Mandir.

The notice, filed through Supreme Court advocate Satyam Singh Rajput, sought a complete year-wise account of donations and expenditure from the financial year 2021-22 to 2025-26.

It also requested audited balance sheets, income and expenditure statements, auditors’ reports, bank account details, records of land purchases and details of any foreign contributions received under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).

The legal notice followed allegations made by former Samajwadi Party MLA Pawan Pandey, who claimed that between Rs 7 crore and Rs 7.5 crore in donations were misappropriated from the Ram Mandir.

However, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai has rejected the allegations.

The controversy has also brought scrutiny to individuals associated with the temple trust.

Ramshankar Yadav, a long-time associate of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai, has come under scrutiny in connection with the allegations.

Champat Rai has also faced scrutiny over the matter, although members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) have publicly backed him.

About the Author

Vani Mehrotra

Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has more than 10 years of experience in national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

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