Opposition leaders on Thursday stepped up their attack on the BJP over the alleged embezzlement of donations meant for the Ram Temple, with Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal accusing the party and its affiliates of "looting" Lord Ram, while Congress general secretary K C Venugopal sought a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the alleged "Chanda Chori mega scandal".

Sibal, a senior advocate, alleged that the organisations sought votes in the name of Lord Ram.

In a post on X, Sibal said, "VHP, BJP, Bajrang Dal -- 'Ram ke naam pe vote to leinge, fir Ram ko hi woh looteinge (They will seek votes in the name of Ram and then loot Ram himself)."

"Asli Hindu ye kya jaane, ye to farzi Hindu hain (What do they know of real Hindus, they are fake Hindus)," the Independent Rajya Sabha MP said.

The alleged embezzlement came to light after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government submitted its preliminary findings, following which an FIR was registered on June 25.

Eight accused were subsequently arrested, and police said nearly Rs 80 lakh in cash, besides some foreign currency, has been recovered so far from six of them. The investigation is continuing.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said exemplary punishment will be meted out to those found guilty and speedy justice will be ensured. The BJP has said the case will proceed as per the rule of law.

In Venugopal's letter to Modi, he said a "fraud of this magnitude" which involves allegations stretching into hundreds of crores, is a "monumental betrayal" of the Hindu faith, religion, and way of life.

"Lord Ram is revered as the embodiment of justice and righteousness. Allowing allegations of this nature to be buried, rather than impartially investigated, would be a profound injustice to his devotees and to the values he embodies," the Congress general secretary in-charge organisation said.

"I am writing to you to express the deep anguish and outrage of millions of Indians regarding the shocking revelations of massive financial fraud, theft, and embezzlement of donations at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The offerings made by ordinary citizens -- who contributed their hard-earned life savings out of profound faith and reverence for Lord Ram -- have been shamelessly looted, striking at the very sanctity of a place held sacred by millions," Venugopal, who heads the key Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, said.

The ongoing preliminary investigations have exposed a highly organised racket operating right under the nose of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, he alleged.

The systemic lapses at every level make it clear that this loot was enabled by institutional support, the Congress leader said.

"On one hand, the counting staff bypassed regular surveillance to siphon off bundles of cash and valuable jewellery on a daily basis; on the other, 7 to 8 months of crucial CCTV footage was deliberately destroyed to cover the tracks of this criminal enterprise. This clearly indicates that this loot goes beyond the work of a few rogue employees, and is a scam orchestrated with the complicity of the higher-ups instead," Venugopal alleged.

"Simultaneously, we are learning that complaints of embezzlement and theft were either ignored or actively suppressed. The Trust's former Chief Accounts Officer, who flagged these systematic irregularities as early as 2020-21 and warned that unaccounted gold and silver ornaments were being spirited away, was unceremoniously removed from his duties instead of being heard," he said.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government on June 13, followed by the FIR registered on June 25, appears to be little more than an "eyewash", Venugopal alleged in his letter to Modi.

"So far, only the 'small fish' -- drivers, clerks, and outsourced cashiers -- have been arrested, while the institutional support and chain of command that enabled the brazen loot remain untouched. A state-appointed SIT is neither equipped nor institutionally independent to investigate individuals wielding immense political and institutional influence," he asserted.

There is a growing apprehension that the investigation is being used to erase the remaining evidence while shielding the "big fish" who allegedly orchestrated this multi-crore embezzlement, he said.

"This scandal warrants the highest level of accountability because the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is a public trust constituted by the Government of India in 2020. Its very creation took place under the direct supervision of the Government, and the land was vested in the Trust pursuant to the Supreme Court's judgment," he said.

"It is, therefore, the moral responsibility of the Government - and of you, as its head -- to restore the faith of over 1.4 billion Indians in the Government's intent and ability to safeguard donations and preserve the sanctity of an institution established in the name of Lord Ram," Venugopal said.

"Therefore, I strongly demand your immediate intervention in this matter to order a free and fair investigation by a high-level independent agency under the strict supervision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India," he said in his letter.

Sharing the letter on X, Venugopal said the "massive Chanda Chori" at the Ayodhya Ram Temple has shaken the nation.

"This is way beyond an ordinary loot, it strikes at the heart of how faith is corrupted -- first for political gain, and then for financial enrichment. I have written to the PM demanding an immediate Supreme Court monitored investigation into this Chanda Chori mega scandal," Venugopal said.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday claimed that word about the alleged "theft" of donation at the Ram Janmbhoomi temple in Ayodhya had reached villages across Uttar Pradesh, and said the BJP would face public backlash over the issue.

"The news of the theft at a temple in Ayodhya has reached every village. This time the BJP will get neither donations, nor offerings, nor votes," Yadav said while addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here.

Claiming that the ruling party was trying to suppress the issue, he said, "They are trying to intimidate and threaten people. They are fabricating stories and trying to link others, to divert attention from the real issue."

The alleged embezzlement came to light after an SIT constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government submitted its preliminary findings, following which an FIR was registered on June 25.

Eight accused were subsequently arrested, and police said nearly Rs 80 lakh in cash, besides some foreign currency, has been recovered so far from six of them. The investigation is continuing.