Temple theft puts trust to the test

Spiritual abode: A photograph taken on Nov 25, 2025, showing Modi taking part in a flag-hoisting ceremony marking the completion of the Ram temple’s construction in Ayodhya. The temple has since become one of India’s most prominent religious sites, attracting an average of 90,000 visitors daily. — AFP

A probe into donations allegedly siphoned off at the grand Ram temple has renewed scrutiny of how religious sites manage vast amounts of cash and gold entrus­ted to them by devotees.

Police launched a probe in June and arrested eight people responsible for handling donations at the revered Hindu shrine in the northern city of Ayodhya.

Authorities have not disclosed the amount allegedly stolen, but media reports say it could amount to 30 million rupees (RM1.2mil).

Ashok Prasad Kushwaha, an auto-rickshaw driver in Delhi who has visited the Ram temple three times in two years, said donations are acts of faith made even by people with modest incomes.

“When we donate, we believe the money is going for God’s work,” he said.

“Now if that hard-earned money gets stolen from a place like a temple, it feels like personal loss.”

The case is the latest in a series of scandals involving donations at major pilgrimage sites, including the Badrinath shSerine and Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, one of the world’s richest temple trusts with assets estimated at US$31bil (RM126.8bil).

“The core systemic problem is the lack of transparency and accountability,” said Rahul Easwar, a Hindu activist and grandson of a former chief priest of Kerala state’s Sabarimala temple.

Large religious institutions need stronger financial controls, including mandatory receipts, digital accounting systems, CCTV monitoring of donation handling and independent oversight, Easwar said.

Inaugurated in 2024 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ram temple has become one of India’s most prominent religious sites, drawing an average 90,000 visitors every day.

Devotees often bear offerings ranging from cash and gold to silver ornaments, generating a steady stream of donations.

Legal experts say oversight ­varies widely across India as religious institutions operate under multiple laws and tax systems.

“There is no uniform national framework prescribing consis­tent standards of financial transparency across all religious institutions,” said Sonam Chandwani, managing partner at KS Legal & Associates. — AFP