“Doesn’t responsibility lie with PM, Mohan Bhagwat?”: Pawan Khera says temple project under control of PMO, RSS

New Delhi [India], July 6 (ANI): Amid growing chaos over the Ram Mandir donation theft row, senior Congress leader Pawan Khera on Monday said that the responsiblity for any lapse lies with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who he said have kept the temple project under their control.
"The reality is that the Prime Minister's Office and the Sangh directly monitored and continue to monitor this temple project, keeping it firmly under their control; so, doesn't the responsibility lie with the Prime Minister? Doesn't it lie with Mohan Bhagwat?" Khera asserted.
He questioned the lack of accountability within the Trust's leadership and alleged that the project is being micro-managed by the Sangh to maintain its "grip" on the temple.
Speaking on the role of the Ram Mandir Trust Treasurer Govind Dev Giri, Khera said, "The Trust's Treasurer--the very person announcing the acceptance of these resignations. Does the Treasurer bear no responsibility? What kind of company, trust, or political party has a Treasurer whose signature isn't even obtained for anything? Why does the Sangh want to maintain its grip on the Ayodhya Temple Trust? After all, the person you appointed is Krishna Mohan, the Sangh's regional chief for Eastern Uttar Pradesh."
The Congress leader further raised serious allegations regarding financial mismanagement and land acquisition near the temple site.
"Land is being purchased; a plot worth ₹86 crore was bought. Fodder is being grown on it, a few kilometres away from the temple. Fodder for grazing cows is being cultivated on land worth ₹86 crore. We want to know: is there even a gaushala near the temple?" Khera asked.
Khera also pointed fingers at Nripendra Misra, the Chairman of the Ram Temple Construction Committee, questioning his administrative past.
"Nripendra Misra was the one in charge when that firing took place, wasn't he? And you appointed him as the supreme authority in the Trust. What was Nripendra Misra's role at the time the firing occurred? They won't talk about that," he stated.
Concluding his statement by targeting the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the RSS, Khera remarked on the contrast between the officials' lifestyle and their claims of non-involvement.
"Today, I saw footage on TV of Govind Giri travelling in a vehicle worth 1.5 crore rupees--a Vellfire or something similar--yet he claims he had no role in the matter and that his signature was never even required. You self-appointed guardians of Hinduism--stay away. Hindus face the greatest threat from these very elements, be it the Vishwa Hindu Parishad or the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)."
Khera targeted the BJP-led Centre, alleging that the ruling party's support for individuals depends entirely on whether they are in power and control state agencies.
"If our government were in power at the Centre today and this incident had occurred, they would have disowned Champat Rai--just as they distanced themselves from Godse, claiming they had nothing to do with him. But since their government is currently in power and the agencies are under their control, they are praising Champat Rai. Had a government controlled by the Jan Sangh, Hindu Mahasabha, or RSS been in power at the time of Gandhiji's assassination, the praise for Godse would have begun as early as 5:45 PM on January 30, 1948," he said.
His remarks come after the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust accepted the resignations of its General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra, while announcing a series of administrative measures following the Special Investigation Team's (SIT) preliminary findings.
According to a press release issued after a meeting of the trustees held in Ayodhya, the Trust also decided to remove Gopal Nagarkote from the list of special invitee members.
The meeting reviewed the alleged irregularities in donation counting, the subsequent investigation, media reports and interim administrative arrangements.
"Upon learning of irregularities, Trust officials gathered initial information and requested an impartial investigation from the Uttar Pradesh government, which subsequently formed a high-level Special Investigation Team (SIT)," the release said.
It said that as of March 31, 2026, the temple had received Rs 582 crore in offerings, of which Rs 391 crore had been utilised for operational expenses, while the remaining amount is held in bank accounts. (ANI)