NEW DELHI: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Rajya Sabha, insisting that he must answer allegations of mismanagement and theft linked to offerings and donations made to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
Kharge demanded a full-fledged Parliamentary debate on what he described as a "matter of faith for millions of devotees".
Addressing the Upper House, Kharge said serious charges had surfaced regarding the handling of valuable offerings, cash donations, and land transactions connected to the Ayodhya Ram Temple.
He reminded members that the Trust was constituted by the Centre, with its formation announced by the Prime Minister himself in Parliament, and that more than 70 acres of land had been transferred to it.
PM Modi, he noted, had personally attended key ceremonies, including the 'bhoomi pujan' and the 'Pran Pratishtha'.
"Under these circumstances, the Prime Minister cannot evade accountability," Kharge declared, questioning why central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Income Tax Department had not acted.
He said those responsible for "plunder in the name of Lord Shri Ram" should apologise to the nation and stop misleading the public.
His remarks were met with loud protests from Treasury Bench members, forcing interruptions.
Later, speaking to reporters in the Parliament complex, Kharge said the Opposition had formally requested the Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan and the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to allow discussions under the relevant rules on both the Ram Temple donation controversy and the alleged police excesses against students.
He added that a debate would bring the truth before the country, but accused the Union government of being unwilling to permit such scrutiny.
Targeting the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Kharge alleged that Union Minister Shah's repeated absence from the House showed either fear of facing questions or disregard for Parliamentary norms.
"The only way to ensure smooth functioning of Parliament is for the Prime Minister and the Home Minister to come to the House and make statements," he said, reiterating that the Opposition was prepared for a debate.
Kharge's intervention has set the stage for a heated confrontation in Parliament, with the Opposition pressing for accountability on issues that touch both public faith and democratic transparency.
Whether the Union government agrees to a debate remains uncertain, but the demand has added fresh tension to the ongoing Monsoon session of the Parliament.
