“200 KG Silver Donated for Ram Mandir Has Disappeared, No Receipt Given, No One Knows Where It Went” — Dr Raju Manwani
A major controversy has emerged over alleged irregularities in donations made for the Ram Mandir, Ayodhya, after serious claims were raised about unaccounted silver contributions from the Sindhi community.
World Sindhi Service Sangam International President Dr Raju Manwani has alleged that nearly 200 kilograms of silver—equivalent to around Rs 1.5 crore—donated for the temple has neither been officially acknowledged nor properly accounted for.
In a widely circulated video, Manwani said the donation was handed over on January 26, 2021, to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai, consisting of 200 silver bricks weighing one kilogram each.
He said the contribution was part of a global fundraising effort involving the Sindhi community across India and several countries abroad.
“We have still not received any receipt for the donation. Neither were we invited to any ceremony as donors, nor were we informed about where and how the silver was used,” Dr Raju Manwani said in the video.
He further stressed that the concern was not just about paperwork but about transparency in handling faith-based public donations.
“We are saddened because we simply wanted to know how our donation was utilised. Now reports are emerging in the media alleging misuse, and that is completely unacceptable,” he added.
Manwani also claimed that after the controversy surfaced, several donors involved in the campaign began reaching out with concerns and questions about their contributions.
He expressed confidence in the ongoing investigation, saying he trusts both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and hopes the Special Investigation Team (SIT) will uncover the truth.
“We trust that the SIT will bring out the truth and action will be taken against whoever is responsible. We will wait for the SIT report,” he said.
He also warned that such allegations could impact future donations, claiming that trust among donors has been shaken and contributions may decline.
The matter has triggered fresh debate over transparency in large-scale religious donations, with calls for clearer accounting and documentation mechanisms in major temple trust funds.
