Ram Temple donation ‘theft’ has hurt Rambhakts, but using it to defame Ayodhya is not justified: Yogi

4 min readLucknowJul 16, 2026 03:52 AM IST

This comes a day after Adityanath acknowledged that the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple was “unfortunate” but said that it was the BJP that established Ayodhya as the cultural capital of Sanatan Dharma.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said that the Ram temple donation ‘theft’ row has hurt the sentiments of Rambhakts and asserted that it should not be used to defame Ayodhya or the Ram Janambhoomi movement.

Speaking at an event organised by Aaj Tak in Lucknow, the BJP leader said, “Ayodhya ki ghatna ne nischit hi hum sab Rambhakton ki aastha ko aahat kiya hai (The Ayodhya incident has certainly hurt the faith of every Ram devotee like us).”

This comes a day after Adityanath acknowledged that the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple was “unfortunate” but said that it was the BJP that established Ayodhya as the cultural capital of Sanatan Dharma.

Hitting out at the Opposition for targeting the BJP over the donation ‘theft’ issue, the chief minister on Wednesday said his government acted promptly and constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the allegations of the donation theft on the Temple Trust’s request

“The government has no right to interfere in the functioning of the trust. As soon as the SIT report came, the Trust started to take action. The six people, who were caught stealing in the CCTV footage, were arrested. Those who were helping them were also arrested. And along with the arrests, two resignations (Trust general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra) were also given on moral grounds. But to defame Ayodhya, to defame Shri Ram Janmabhoomi, and to attack the faith of Hindus using this incident — how is this justified? And that is why today the question arises that when these people were in power, they used to attack faith, they reached the peak of hooliganism, and in every possible way they carried out acts that hurt religious faith,” added Adityanath.

Questioning the Congress and Samajwadi Party for raising the issue of faith in the donation theft episode, Adityanath said, “Those who used to ban Kanwar Yatra, those who used to ban Ram Navami procession, Krishna Janmashtami, are today talking about faith. How ridiculous it is.”

“Those who had bullets fired at devotees of Lord Ram talk about faith today… Those who filed an affidavit in the country’s Supreme Court stating that Ram and Krishna never even existed are today talking about faith. Those who, under every circumstance, tried to ensure that the Ram Temple was not built in Ayodhya, made every possible attempt to create obstacles and barriers, and engaged lawyers to oppose the Ram Temple, are today talking about faith,” he added.

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Questioning the “secular” claims of the two Opposition parties, the chief minister said, “Those who, by getting namaz offered on the steps of the sacred Hanumangarhi, tried to vitiate the atmosphere. If you were secular, then if you were getting namaz offered at one place, you should also have had the Hanuman Chalisa recited in a mosque simultaneously. If both had happened together, then it could at least have been accepted that both sides were in agreement. But it was running only one way. Today, they are talking about faith.”

“Those people who looted the nation’s treasury and created a crisis for the country’s image have today become concerned about the alleged theft of offerings made at the Ayodhya temple. They do not talk about their own plunder. At that time, which scams did not take place? Whether it was the Congress government at the Centre or the Samajwadi Party governments in Uttar Pradesh,” he said.

Bhupendra Pandey is the Resident Editor of the Lucknow edition of The Indian Express. With decades of experience in the heart of Uttar Pradesh’s journalistic landscape, he oversees the bureau’s coverage of India’s most politically significant state. His expertise lies in navigating the complex intersections of state governance, legislative policy, and grassroots social movements. From tracking high-stakes assembly elections to analyzing administrative shifts in the Hindi heartland, Bhupendra’s reportage provides a definitive lens on the region's evolution.

Authoritativeness He leads a team of seasoned reporters and investigators, ensuring that The Indian Express’ signature "Journalism of Courage" is reflected in every regional story. His leadership is central to the Lucknow bureau’s reputation for breaking stories that hold the powerful to account, making him a trusted figure for policy analysts, political scholars, and the general public seeking to understand the nuances of UP’s complex landscape.

Trustworthiness & Accountability Under his stewardship, the Lucknow edition adheres to the strictest standards of factual verification and non-partisan reporting. He serves as a bridge between the local populace and the national discourse, ensuring that regional issues are elevated with accuracy and context. By prioritizing primary-source reporting and on-the-ground verification, he upholds the trust that readers have placed in the Express brand for nearly a century. ... Read More

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