Shimla, July 8: Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and his cabinet colleagues staged a street protest in Shimla to address the alleged financial discrepancies in the management of Ayodhya Ram Mandir donations. The marchers traversed the route from the local sports complex to Ram Bazaar, where the executive body shifted their focus toward religious observations and cabinet-level prayers inside the local temple premises. The ruling party used the occasion to question how public offerings were tracked and safeguarded.
The Chief Minister affirmed that true spiritual practice involves public service rather than electoral positioning.
“The BJP has politicised the Ram Mandir-related issues whereas millions of devotees across the country have contributed generously towards the construction of the temple according to their faith and capacity.”
Addressing the emotional weight of the financial allegations, Sukhu declared that the community expects total transparency when contributing to major heritage projects.
“After the temple’s inauguration, devotees from across the country donated money and jewellery with deep faith and devotion. Those involved have not only misused public donations but also betrayed the trust and faith of millions of devotees.”
The executive team noted that the state had previously shown its deep spiritual alignment by observing a full-day public holiday during the Ayodhya consecration, going beyond the federal half-day directive. Sukhu asserted that the party’s spiritual stance remains consistent without relying on faith as a political tool.
“The credit for initiating the process that eventually led to the construction of the Ram Mandir should first go to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, under whose tenure the locks of the Ram Janmabhoomi site were opened. While the Congress has deep faith in Lord Ram, it does not believe in exploiting religious sentiments for political purposes.”
A large contingent of regional lawmakers joined the day’s events, including Health Minister Dr. Dhani Ram Shandil and Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan. Following the main assembly, the Chief Minister traveled to the hilltop Jakhu temple to conclude his public rounds with personal prayers.
