‘Only those seeing theft want refund’: UP Speaker on Ram Temple row

5 min readLucknowUpdated: Jul 15, 2026 08:09 PM IST

Satish Mahana says only those seeking refund of Ram Temple donations are seeing theft. (X/@Satishmahanaup)

Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker and senior BJP leader Satish Mahana on Wednesday offered to refund Congress leader Digvijaya Singh’s donation for the Ram Temple, saying those who had contributed with “faith” could see the grand temple built with their money, while only those seeking a refund were “seeing theft”.

He was responding to Singh’s statement earlier this month, when he said he has sought the return of his donation money “so he can give it to Ramalaya Trust”. He added that his “faith is hurt because of corruption in Ayodhya’s Ram temple”. Singh had also announced a “non-political” padyatra from Ujjain’s Mahakal temple to Ayodhya on October 2.

Mahana’s remarks also came amid the row over the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple, with the BJP accusing Opposition leaders of using the incident to question the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and the faith of millions of devotees, while maintaining that those found guilty of theft should be punished.

“They have cast a question mark over the entire Hindu community,” Mahana told The Indian Express, referring to the statements made by Opposition leaders.

“Those who donated with devotion can see that their contribution has gone into building the temple. Those now seeking their money back can only see theft,” Mahana told The Indian Express.

“It is unfortunate that those who once questioned the entire Ram Temple movement are now invoking the yatra on the pretext of theft and casting aspersions on the faith of the entire Hindu community,” said the senior BJP leader, who had earlier said that offerings of only those were stolen at the Ayodhya Ram temple who “may not have donated with true devotion”.

“People are announcing yatras today and seeking the return of donations given for the construction of the temple. It would have made more sense if they had taken out a yatra for the temple’s construction,” he said, referring to the Congress leader’s plan to lead a padyatra over the issue.

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At the same time, Mahana said his remarks should not be construed as a defence of those accused of the alleged theft. “I am not defending those who indulged in theft. Every individual found guilty must be punished. But it is not right to question the entire institution, the temple or the movement because of the actions of a few,” he said.

Mahana also hit out at AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi over his recent remarks on the possibility of a Muslim being part of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra. “They are saying Muslims could have been there in the Trust. Does that mean the entire Hindu community is a thief?” he asked.

Mahana’s remarks have drawn backlash from Opposition leaders, who asked if the BJP government would now “audit people’s faith”.

“According to Mahana, those whose donations were stolen from the Ram temple did not donate with ‘true devotion’. That means there is no failure of the government; the fault lies with the intentions of the devotees,” the Uttar Pradesh unit of the Congress said in a post on X.

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“Criminals are emboldened in Uttar Pradesh, while those in power are offering such bizarre arguments,” the party said.

The Samajwadi Party called the Speaker’s remarks “highly shameful and condemnable”. “Satish Mahana should refrain from making such statements. He should speak in a manner befitting the dignity of the office of the Assembly Speaker and should not play with public sentiment,” the party posted on X.

The SP further said that while it has often criticised Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Mahana, being an experienced constitutional authority, is expected to exercise greater restraint in his public remarks.

The alleged embezzlement of Ram temple donations came to light in the first week of June, following which the BJP government in the state constituted the Special Investigation Team (SIT).

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An FIR was registered on June 25 based on a preliminary report from the SIT. Eight people associated with the temple’s donation-counting process have so far been arrested, while two functionaries of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust — its former general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra — have resigned.

Maulshree Seth is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, based in Lucknow. With over 15 years of experience in mainstream journalism, she has built a formidable reputation for her on-ground reporting across Uttar Pradesh. Her expertise spans a wide array of critical beats, including state politics, governance, the judiciary, and rural development.

Authoritativeness Maulshree’s work is characterized by depth and historical context. Her coverage of high-stakes state elections and landmark judicial rulings has established her as an authoritative voice on the intersection of law and politics in Northern India. She is frequently recognized for her ability to gain access to primary sources and for her nuanced understanding of the socio-economic factors that drive the world's most populous sub-national entity.

Trustworthiness & Ethical Journalism Her reporting is rooted in rigorous fact-checking and a steadfast dedication to neutral, unbiased storytelling. By prioritizing field-based verification—often traveling to the most remote corners of the state—she ensures that her readers receive a truthful and comprehensive view of events. ... Read More

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ayodhya

Ram Mandir

Uttar Pradesh