Chandigarh, October 19, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab president and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure strict punishment for those found guilty in the reported donation theft case involving the Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. He said the BJP, which rose to prominence by invoking sentiments associated with the temple, must ensure accountability for anyone found to have betrayed devotees’ faith.
Citing 105 reported incidents of donation theft, Arora called for a thorough investigation into the role of senior officials and questioned why accountability should be limited to junior employees. He also said more than one lakh Ram devotees from Punjab had written to the Prime Minister seeking justice and accountability.
Addressing a press conference, Arora said millions of devotees had contributed their hard-earned money towards the construction of the Shri Ram Mandir with faith and devotion. Any misappropriation of those donations, he said, would amount to a betrayal of their trust.
“Millions of Ram devotees contributed their hard-earned money towards the construction of the Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya with immense faith and devotion. If the money donated by devotees has been misappropriated, it is a betrayal of their faith. Prime Minister Narendra Modi must ensure that everyone found guilty faces the strictest punishment,” Arora said.
He stressed that he was raising the issue as a devotee rather than merely as a political leader, saying the concerns of people who had contributed to the temple deserved to be addressed.
“I am raising this issue not as an AAP leader or party president, but as a Ram-Bhakt who shares the anguish of lakhs of people across Punjab. People across the country celebrated the construction of the Shri Ram Mandir with immense joy and contributed generously from their hard-earned savings towards this sacred project. Their faith and contributions deserve to be respected,” he said.
Displaying bundles of letters received from different parts of Punjab, Arora said more than one lakh devotees had voluntarily written to Modi, urging him to intervene in the matter.
“More than one lakh Ram devotees from Punjab have voluntarily written letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to intervene and ensure justice. These letters have come from across approximately 22,000 polling booths in the state. We will present them to the Prime Minister as a collective appeal from devotees who want accountability and strict action against everyone found responsible,” he said.
Arora questioned whether the reported incidents had prompted adequate scrutiny of the temple’s administration and supervision. He argued that the investigation should examine the responsibilities of senior officials and others entrusted with managing the institution.
“Why should accountability end with lower-level employees when serious questions remain about the role of senior officials and those entrusted with managing the temple’s affairs? If repeated incidents of theft have taken place, the responsibility of those overseeing the institution must also be examined,” he said.
Referring to reports of 105 incidents allegedly captured by CCTV cameras and examined by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), Arora called for a comprehensive investigation to establish how the incidents occurred and whether all those responsible had been held accountable.
“If an institution of such immense religious significance, associated with the faith of crores of people, has witnessed repeated incidents of theft, the responsibility cannot simply end with a few junior employees. The role of senior officials and those responsible for its management must also be examined,” he asserted.
Arora urged the Prime Minister, the Union government and the BJP leadership to ensure that anyone found guilty faced action, regardless of their position or influence.
“PM Narendra Modi, the Union government and the BJP leadership must ensure that nobody involved in wrongdoing is protected. The Shri Ram Mandir has been a central political commitment of the BJP, and the party has a responsibility to ensure that the faith of devotees is not betrayed. Anyone found guilty must face strict action, irrespective of their position, political connections or influence,” he said.
Recalling the political significance of the Shri Ram Temple movement, Arora said the issue had played an important role in the BJP’s political rise. He pointed out that the BJP emerged as the single-largest party in the 1996 Lok Sabha elections with 161 seats, arguing that the party must demonstrate the same commitment to protecting devotees’ faith that it had shown in invoking their sentiments.
“Today, it must demonstrate that protecting the faith of Ram Bhakts matters as much as invoking their sentiments,” he said.
Arora also referred to the Shiromani Akali Dal while arguing that political parties risk losing public support when they invoke religious sentiments but fail to address the concerns of their followers.
“Political parties cannot take people’s religious faith for granted. The Shiromani Akali Dal is an example of how parties that invoke religion but fail to uphold the trust of their followers risk losing public support. The faith of devotees must never become a tool for political gains while their legitimate concerns about accountability remain unanswered,” he said.
Reiterating his demand, Arora said the investigation should examine every relevant aspect of the reported donation theft case and that anyone found guilty must face strict punishment, without protection based on rank, position or political influence.
Summing up the appeal, he said, “Ram Bhakton Ki Ek Pukar, Chanda Choron Ko Saza Is Baar.”
Arora said devotees were seeking accountability, justice and strict action against everyone found guilty of wrongdoing.
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