Ram, rajneeti, and rising rhetoric: Where did the donations go?

A political controversy has erupted in Uttar Pradesh over allegations of financial irregularities, embezzlement of donations, and pilferage of funds at the Ayodhya Ram Temple. The state government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the suspected disappearance of cash and jewellery, suspicious land deals, potential record manipulation, and surveillance camera tampering. The investigation has widened to include security personnel and administrative staff. Opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party, have questioned the credibility of the SIT, calling it an eyewash and demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry. Meanwhile, the ruling party has accused the opposition of politicising the issue ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. In an interview, the chairperson of the Ram Temple construction committee expressed concern over the allegations, emphasizing the need to uncover the facts. Additionally, the bulletin covers the Lok Sabha Speaker's upcoming decision regarding the seating arrangement of a rebel Trinamool Congress MP ahead of the monsoon session.