Big Fish Spared, Note-Counters Arrested": Shankaracharya Slams BJP's 'Fake Hindutva' Over Ram Temple Donation Scam FIR
ANI Via TNIE
SAMBHAL — The ongoing controversy surrounding the alleged financial irregularities at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya took a sharp turn on Friday. Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath, heavily criticized the First Information Report (FIR) registered in connection with the embezzlement of temple donations, alleging that the real culprits have been shielded while lower-level employees have been made scapegoats.
Speaking to reporters in Sambhal during his ongoing 'Gau Dharma Yatra', the prominent seer launched a blistering attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), labeling their ideology as "fake Hindutva."
The Shankaracharya’s remarks arrive amid an active Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe initiated by the Uttar Pradesh government to investigate massive allegations of malfeasance within the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
Following the SIT's preliminary report, an FIR was lodged at the behest of Trust member Krishna Mohan. Consequently, senior officials confirmed on Friday that eight individuals named in the FIR have been formally arrested. However, critics argue that the investigation is bypassing the top administrative tier of the temple's management.
Swami Avimukteshwaranand expressed deep skepticism regarding the integrity of the temple's financial management, claiming that scriptural protocols were bypassed to accommodate political interests.
"What can one say about the theft of donations? From the very beginning, arbitrary decisions have been taken in the Ram temple," the seer stated. "Had everything been intended to be fair, the trust could have been entrusted to the four Shankaracharyas, Ramanandacharya, and other religious leaders. Instead, trusted political associates were appointed, which showed the intention from the beginning."
Addressing the recent arrests, he highlighted a glaring disparity in accountability. "We have heard that the FIR has been registered against those who counted the currency notes. Tell us about the larger theft that happened afterwards. Large-scale thefts are committed by influential people. There is no FIR against them," he remarked.
Defending the political opposition for raising the issue, the Shankaracharya noted that the eventual registration of an FIR proves the opposition's concerns were completely valid. He then directed his ire squarely at the BJP.
"The party may be genuine because it is registered with the Election Commission, but its Hindutva is not genuine. Those who do not follow the Vedas are fake Hindus. Real Hindus believe in the Vedas, scriptures, and their gurus, while these people do not," he declared.
The seer's comments carry significant political weight as he is currently undertaking the 'Gau Dharma Yatra'. Launched on May 3, the yatra spans nearly 170 assembly constituencies, aiming to mobilize voters ahead of the crucial 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
While the Shankaracharya maintained that his campaign is non-partisan, he challenged the BJP to declare the cow as 'rajmata' (mother of the nation) if they wished to reap the political benefits of his movement. He urged voters to support only "genuine" candidates committed to Sanatan Dharma to forge an alternative political leadership in the state.
The Shankaracharya's scathing indictment of the Ayodhya Ram Temple Trust and the BJP adds immense pressure on the Uttar Pradesh administration. As the SIT continues its probe, the demand for high-level accountability is escalating from both political opposition and revered religious leaders, ensuring the donation scam remains a dominant issue in the state's political discourse.
When a religious leader of the Shankaracharya's stature publicly questions the integrity of the Ram Temple Trust and labels the ruling party as "fake Hindus," it shatters the government's carefully constructed narrative of seamless religious governance. Arresting cash-counters while leaving the top brass untouched is a classic bureaucratic smokescreen that the public easily sees through. With the 2027 UP Assembly elections slowly appearing on the horizon, the BJP can ill-afford to alienate the core Sanatan Dharma leadership. The SIT must execute a genuinely transparent probe, proving that even the most politically connected individuals within the Trust are not above the law.