Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Friday said the theft of donation boxes at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya was “deeply painful” and it called for strict action against those involved.
Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale, also the chief of RSS, said in New Delhi that the grand temple at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi is a symbol of faith, dedication, and sacrifice for Hindus throughout the country. The theft had deeply hurt the sentiments of devotees and caused widespread anger among Hindu community members, he said.
"The unfortunate theft of donation boxes in the Ram temple in Ayodhya has deeply hurt the sentiments and faith of the entire society and Ram devotees. We are all extremely pained and angered by this event," Hosabale said.
The RSS said the Government of Uttar Pradesh had already formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) after the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust sought to investigate the matter. The organisation said those found guilty after the investigation should face the strictest possible legal action.
The RSS also urged the temple trust to treat the incident as an exceptional case and to identify any shortcomings in its financial management and operational systems. Hosabale said transparent management and good financial oversight were the keys to maintaining public confidence in one of the country’s most important religious institutions.
He said he believed that the trust would strengthen its systems and maintain the sanctity of the temple through financial management, transparent governance, and disciplined administration. This is why such measures are required, he said, as devotees have remained undisturbed.
Statement issued by Dattatreya Hosabale, Sarkaryavah (General Secretary) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
— RSS (@RSSorg) July 3, 2026
New Delhi, July 3, 2026
The grand temple constructed at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi has become a center of reverence, faith, and devotion for the entire Hindu society,… pic.twitter.com/ppdkc8kuwU
The RSS also urged the public to remain patient while the investigation is ongoing. The RSS urged devotees not to let the incident become a tool to divide people or tarnish Hindu society and the Hindu temple as it is not to make the temple and Hindu society at stake.
The latest statement comes at a very significant time in the temple trust. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is expected to issue show-cause notices to its General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra when they attend a key meeting in the city on 6 July. Both office-bearers had submitted their resignations after the donation embezzlement controversy, they said.
According to sources, the trust wants written and oral versions of both leaders’ responses before any decision is made on resignations or future duties on their behalf. The move is in line with the trust’s bylaws which mandate that the office-bearers have the opportunity to provide their views before any disciplinary action is made. Any decision to accept resignations or removal from office would have to be ratified by the majority of trustees.
The controversy has also revived discussions of the administrative setup of the Ram Mandir Trust. The Minister of Home Affairs (M.H.A.) told the Central Information Commission that the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is an independent body and is not under the administrative control of the Centre or Uttar Pradesh Government in light of the RTI Act.
With investigations ongoing and the trust ready for a crucial meeting now, we focus on accountability, governance, and restoring public trust in the management of one of India’s most important temples.
