Akhilesh Yadav questioned the handling of the Ram Temple donation theft case on November 8, 2026, ahead of his planned December 12 visit to Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.
The exchange, followed Yogi Adityanath’s call at Ayodhya’s Deepotsav for an apology over the 1990 police firing.
Ram Temple Theft Case Draws Akhilesh’s Questions
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav questioned Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday over the alleged diversion of cash donations at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple. Responding to Adityanath’s call for an apology over the 1990 police firing on kar sevaks, Yadav asked who would take responsibility for the missing donations and alleged that the state government had failed to act adequately.
Yadav also raised concerns about land acquired for development in Ayodhya. He alleged that residents had been mistreated and denied fair compensation for their land. His remarks came ahead of his planned December 12 visit to the temple.
Ram Temple Visit Prompts Yogi’s Apology Demand
Speaking at Ayodhya’s Deepotsav on Saturday, Adityanath said those responsible for the firing on Ram devotees should apologise before visiting the city. The chief minister did not name Akhilesh Yadav or the Samajwadi Party. He referred to the 1990 police firing, which took place while Akhilesh’s father, Mulayam Singh Yadav, was Uttar Pradesh chief minister.
Adityanath also accused previous governments of neglecting Ayodhya. He credited devotees and saints for the city’s revival and pointed to improvements in its roads, airport and railway facilities.
Ram Temple Probe Leads To Eight Arrests
The Uttar Pradesh government formed a three-member Special Investigation Team after the temple trust sought an inquiry into allegations that cash offerings were diverted during counting. Eight people were arrested in June, and the SIT filed a chargesheet in an Ayodhya court on September 23.
Investigators identified 105 suspected instances of cash being removed or concealed without authorisation in the counting room. Police recovered ₹79.85 lakh from seven of the eight accused and examined bank accounts, transactions and assets for possible links to the diverted donations. On November 2, the Supreme Court disposed of petitions seeking a CBI investigation after the state confirmed that the SIT had filed its chargesheet.
