Addressing a public rally in Sabroom in poll-bound Tripura, Shah said that the Congress and the Communist Party of India-Marxist had put the Ram Mandir issue in the jurisdiction of the court for long, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for it after the Supreme Court's order.
Bharatiya Janata Party leaders and seers have filed police complaints and FIRs against Rahul Gandhi, Pappu Yadav, and Awadhesh Prasad for a skit performed in Parliament, alleging it mocked Sanatan culture and ridiculed Indian traditions concerning Ram Temple donations.
At Ganesh Galli, one of Mumbai's oldest pandals, a team of more than 60 workers came together to create Ayodhya's Ram Mandir.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Dwarkapeeth Shankaracharya are at loggerheads over the issue of temple construction.
With the Bhoomi Pujan scheduled to be on August 5 and the who's who of Indian politics likely to make a visit in Ayodhya, the district administration has deployed hundreds of people for a beautification drive in the temple town. Roads, walls, streets are being painted, cleaned to give them a new refreshing look. Thousands of municipal workers have been deployed to do a cleanup drive in the town which will see visits of dignitaries on August 5. Take a look.
On a day when Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was inducted into the Bharatiya Janata Party's Parliamentary Board, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's chief Mohan Bhagwat raked up the issue of Ram Mandir in Ahmedabad, expressing the desire to build a glorious 'Shree Ram Mandir'.
"We Ram-bhakts, today, as part of this programme, take this pledge that at the earliest, the Ram Mandir be constructed. Jai Shri Ram," the video showed him saying.
A private security agency has denied involvement in the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The agency stated it only recruited personnel for housekeeping at an SBI branch at the bank's request, disclaiming responsibility for their duties or the alleged theft, which is currently under SIT investigation.
The Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is set to appoint its first full-time CEO from a shortlist of three candidates, chosen from over 5,500 applicants. The Trust is also discussing filling three vacant trustee posts, amending the Trust deed, and addressing administrative matters, including financial affairs and security coordination, following a recent controversy over alleged temple donation embezzlement.
Eight individuals arrested in connection with the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya have been remanded in police custody until June 29. Investigators have recovered Rs 79.85 lakh and invoked charges under criminal breach of trust and the Prevention of Corruption Act, as several accused were bank employees involved in counting cash donations.
Ayodhya Police conducted simultaneous raids at the residences of eight individuals arrested in connection with the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple. The raids followed their remand to judicial custody, with police expected to seek custodial remand. The accused were involved in counting donations, and investigators have recovered Rs 79.85 lakh so far in a case registered under various sections including the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The Ayodhya Police are intensifying their investigation into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, preparing to seek custodial remand for three more accused. A Special Investigation Team's preliminary report found prima facie evidence of theft and pilferage during donation counting, with CCTV footage showing personnel concealing cash.
The Ayodhya Police are intensifying their investigation into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, preparing to seek custodial remand for three more accused. A Special Investigation Team's preliminary report found prima facie evidence of theft and pilferage during donation counting, with CCTV footage showing personnel concealing cash.
'I would like to leave behind my small contribution for the historic day when the Ram temple will be consecrated.'
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday said he will attend the inauguration of the Ram temple at Ayodhya in January if he is invited to the programme.
A suspended employee of the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee has been booked for alleged irregularities in handling donations at the Badrinath temple. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami condemned the act, calling it a "sin akin to cow slaughter," while a high-level government inquiry committee has been formed to investigate the matter. The Congress party has also demanded a judicial probe.
''These people who were running the show at the Ram temple have something to hide, therefore they are not ready for a CBI investigation.'
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is set to hold crucial meetings to appoint a new general secretary, fill three vacant trustee posts, and deliberate on the appointment of the temple's first Chief Executive Officer (CEO), all while addressing the ongoing donation theft controversy and the Supreme Court's call for a fair investigation.
Under the lens over serious lapses in the donation management system at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the treasurer of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Govind Dev Giri, has said that all audit reports were "safe" and that he had no role in the daily donation collection process at the temple.
The National Students' Union of India (NSUI) has demanded accountability from Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta following the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl in Aastha Kunj Park. The incident has sparked concerns over women's safety in Delhi and led Lady Shri Ram College to shift classes online. NSUI is calling for immediate legal action, an impartial investigation, and improved security measures around student-frequented areas.
AAP Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj has criticised the Delhi government's handling of women's safety after a 17-year-old girl was allegedly raped at Aastha Kunj Park, leading Lady Shri Ram College to shift classes online. Bharadwaj questioned the BJP government's achievements in ensuring safety and highlighted daily crimes against women, while also alleging harassment of opposition leaders.
Over half of the employees engaged in counting donations at the Ram temple have resigned amid the ongoing investigation into the alleged embezzlement of offerings, reducing the strength of counting personnel to just around a dozen, sources said on Friday.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has demanded the immediate disqualification of six party MPs who defected to the Eknath Shinde-led camp, alleging a larger political conspiracy. He accused the BJP of exploiting the Ram Mandir issue and systematically sidelining its own state leaders, while also questioning the rebel MPs' motives and wealth.
Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday said the alleged embezzlement of donations to the Ram Temple at Ayodhya has pained devotees, but stressed strict action will be taken against those found guilty in the case.
Registration begins ahead of the Amarnath Yatra starting on July 3.
Opposition MPs, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, staged a symbolic protest in Parliament, enacting the "theft" of Ram Temple donations. The INDIA bloc demanded Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation and questioned his absence, also protesting police action against student agitators.
A nearly 70,000-page chargesheet filed by the Supreme Court-mandated SIT details the diversion of donations from the Ram temple in Ayodhya, revealing a network of eight accused who allegedly removed, concealed, and distributed pilfered funds during cash-counting, supported by 105 CCTV instances and thousands of text messages.
The bricks were sent by devotees of Lord Ram from around the world in 1989. There are 2,75,000 such bricks, out of which 100 bricks with 'Jai Shri Ram' engraving have been taken.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has not left issues like Ram Mandir, but the new generation in the party was laying more stress on economic issues and good governance, its President Nitin Gadkari has said.
Uttar Pradesh DGP Rajeev Krishna stated that the state's law and order situation has significantly improved, with criminals losing their former confidence. He warned against anti-social elements using social media to intimidate and discussed ongoing probes into the Ayodhya Ram Mandir irregularities and the extradition of a drug trafficking kingpin. The DGP also highlighted the rising challenge of cybercrime and police efforts to combat it.
'What struck me at the time was simply the scale of it -- that something of this magnitude could be unfolding inside the Ram temple itself.' 'It was bewildering. And what troubled me further was the manner in which people were shielding it.'
Opposition parties disrupted Lok Sabha proceedings on the opening day of the Monsoon Session, leading to multiple adjournments. Protests focused on the alleged NEET paper leak and Ram temple donation theft issues, with demands for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. The House was eventually adjourned for the day after repeated appeals for order failed.
The RSS's annual Akhil Bharatiya Prant Pracharak Baithak in Belagavi addressed alleged irregularities in the counting of donation box offerings at the Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya, expressing confidence in the ongoing SIT probe. The meeting also reviewed training activities, centenary year programmes, and discussed critical issues such as population imbalance and drug abuse.
Lawyers of the Faizabad Bar Association on Thursday took out a protest march here and submitted a police complaint seeking an FIR against Ram Mandir Trust general secretary Champat Rai, trust member Anil Mishra and temple official Gopal Rao over alleged embezzlement of donation funds.
Lady Shri Ram College for Women has moved classes online following the alleged rape of a 17-year-old girl near the campus, raising significant safety concerns among students and the college community. Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident.
The Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre which is completing one year in office should fulfil its commitment to construct Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and remove article 370 of the Constitution, the RSS said.
Opposition MPs, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, staged a protest in the Parliament House complex against alleged donation theft at the Ram temple in Ayodhya and "police excesses" against student protesters. The INDIA bloc vowed to continue their agitation, demanding accountability from the government, particularly Home Minister Amit Shah, on these issues.
Modi's greater weakness is his inability since July when he directed the exit of Dharmendra Pradhan, to come up with a political counter strategy. Security measures and executive orders as seen in recent days will only likely further weaken him and make him as lame duck a premier as many prior to him, Indira Gandhi and Manmohan Singh included, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
The investigation into alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya has broadened to include private security personnel. Around 400 guards are under scrutiny for their roles in managing entry, exit, and offerings, with police examining duty records, CCTV footage, and potential negligence or complicity in theft. This follows the arrest of eight individuals and the resignation of two trust members after a Special Investigation Team was formed.
A primary school teacher, a former car mechanic, a retired bank employee and a trusted aide of a senior Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust functionary -- people from diverse backgrounds are among the eight arrested in connection with the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
