CHANDIGARH: Aam Aadmi Party 's (AAP) Punjab unit chief and cabinet minister Aman Arora on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure strict punishment for those responsible for the alleged donation theft at Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya , asserting that the BJP , which rose to power by invoking the sentiments associated with the temple, must not shield anyone who betrayed devotees’ faith.




Citing 105 reported incidents of chanda-chori (donation theft), he demanded a thorough probe into the role of senior officials, questioning why accountability should end with junior employees.




Arora said more than one lakh Ram devotees from Punjab had written to the Prime Minister seeking justice, declaring: “Ram Bhakton Ki Ek Pukar, Chanda Choron Ko Saza Is Baar.”




Addressing a press conference, Arora said, “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.”




The AAP Punjab President said, “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.”




“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.




The AAP Punjab President stated, “Reports refer to 105 incidents captured by CCTV cameras and examined by the Special Investigation Team (SIT). How could repeated incidents of theft occur without raising questions about supervision and administrative accountability? A thorough investigation must establish how these incidents happened and whether everyone responsible has been held accountable.”




Recalling the political significance of the Shri Ram Temple movement, Aman Arora said, “The Shri Ram Temple issue played a major role in the BJP’s political rise. In the 1996 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party with 161 seats. The party drew considerable political strength from the faith and sentiments associated with the Shri Ram Temple. Today, it must demonstrate that protecting the faith of Ram Bhakts matters as much as invoking their sentiments.”




“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.