Supreme Court Calls for Answers on Ram Mandir Donation Probe

The Supreme Court on Tuesday stepped into the controversy swirling around the funding of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. A bench led by Justice Rashtrapriya Ramesh asked both the Union government and the Uttar Pradesh administration to file a detailed response on the probe that’s been tracking donations poured into the temple’s trust.

During the hearing, senior advocates for the petitioners argued that the flow of money—some of it allegedly from foreign sources—needs a transparent audit. They warned that without a clear picture, public confidence could erode, especially given the project’s symbolic weight.

The Centre, represented by the Ministry of Home Affairs, told the court that a separate committee is already examining the matter. It promised to share the findings within the stipulated time, but stopped short of giving specifics, citing ongoing investigations.

Uttar Pradesh’s officials, meanwhile, said the state government has been cooperating fully with the central probe and that all financial records of the Ram Mandir Trust are on record. They pointed to the “rigorous” internal audit mechanisms that have been in place since the trust’s inception.

Legal experts say the Supreme Court’s request is a significant move. “It signals that the judiciary is not shy about looking into the financial dimensions of religious projects that have political overtones,” noted constitutional law scholar Dr Anita Sharma.

While the case is still in its early stages, the court has set a deadline of 30 days for the responses. If the answers are deemed unsatisfactory, further directions—including the possibility of appointing an independent commissioner—could be on the table.

The Ram Mandir, once a flashpoint of communal tension, now finds itself at the centre of a financial debate. As construction progresses, the eyes of the nation remain fixed not just on the towering spire that will soon dominate Ayodhya’s skyline, but also on the money that builds it.