Andhra Pradesh Congress vice-president Kolanukonda Shivaji on Sunday said media reports published over the past 15 days regarding alleged irregularities in the handling of donations and hundi offerings at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir had caused concern among Hindu devotees.

In a statement, Mr. Shivaji said Ram Mandir Construction Committee Chairman Nripendra Misra had reportedly referred to irregularities relating to donations received by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. He noted that Samajwadi Party president and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had also raised allegations on the matter and sought an inquiry.

Referring to reports and allegations that ornaments and other valuable assets offered to Lord Ram had been misappropriated or diverted through certain individuals, including Trust functionaries, Mr. Shivaji said the value of the assets involved was reported to run into hundreds of crores of rupees.

He said the truth behind the alleged disappearance of diamond necklaces, gold ornaments, gold bricks and other valuables offered to the deity could emerge only through an inquiry conducted under the supervision of a sitting judge. According to him, the three-member Special Investigation Team constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government would not be sufficient to establish the complete facts.

“There is a possibility that influential persons responsible for any wrongdoing may attempt to shift the blame on to their subordinates and evade accountability,” he said.

Mr. Shivaji said a robust asset protection and monitoring system, similar to that followed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams(TTD), should be established at Ayodhya to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.

He also demanded a thorough investigation into the reported disappearance of around 200 kg of gold reserves associated with Kedarnath. Hindu religious organisations, Peethams and heads of mutts should raise their voice on the issue and submit representations to the government seeking transparency and accountability, he added.