Wayanad, June 27 (IANS) Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday described the alleged theft of donations collected for the Ram temple in Ayodhya as tragic and shameful, saying the government must conduct a thorough investigation and ensure accountability not only for those who allegedly stole the money but also for those entrusted with safeguarding the offerings made by devotees. Responding to the controversy during her visit to her Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, Priyanka said millions of people across the country had contributed to the temple out of faith and devotion, making it imperative that every rupee donated by devotees be protected.She said it was really tragic that people from all over the country made donations in good faith, and that if they had made those contributions, it was the responsibility of those who collected and managed the funds to ensure they were kept safe.

Calling the allegations shameful, the Congress leader said the matter could not be brushed aside as an isolated incident and deserved a credible and impartial probe.She said that the government had to investigate this thoroughly and that if women, poor people and ordinary devotees had made donations with faith and sacrifice, those funds must be protected. She added that if the money had been collected, there was also the responsibility of keeping it safe.Priyanka stressed that accountability should extend beyond identifying those directly involved in the alleged theft to examining whether there had been lapses in the systems responsible for protecting the donations.Her remarks come amid mounting political attention over the alleged disappearance of funds collected for the Ram temple, with the Opposition demanding transparency in the handling of public donations made for one of the country's most significant religious projects.

The issue has triggered a fresh political debate, with the Congress seeking answers on the safeguards in place for devotees' contributions from across the country.Priyanka said public trust should never be compromised and that those responsible for collecting and managing such donations owed the people complete transparency and accountability.

/IANS