New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday intensified its attack on the BJP over the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, accusing the ruling party of failing to protect devotees' offerings and demanding a Supreme Court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe.

Addressing a press conference, senior Congress leader Pramod Tiwari alleged that irregularities linked to the Ram Mandir had begun long before the temple was completed and claimed the controversy was deeply connected to the faith of millions of devotees.

"I hail from the Awadh region myself, and between 1985 and 1990, I served as the Tourism Minister in the UP government. I have witnessed the Ram Janmabhoomi movement from very close quarters," Tiwari said.

Launching a sharp political attack on the BJP, he said:

"I am not saying that everyone in the BJP is a 'chhanda chor', but all the 'chhanda chors' are in the BJP."

Tiwari alleged that the BJP had used the Ram Mandir issue for political gains over the years.

"When the movement to build the Ram Mandir was underway, the slogan was: 'Ram Lalla hum ayenge; mandir wahin banayenge'. Later, when the BJP formed the government in Uttar Pradesh, I asked when the temple would be built. The reply was: 'When the BJP comes to power at the Centre as well',"

he said.

Referring to the Vajpayee government, Tiwari added, "When Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government was formed at the Centre, I asked the same question again. The reply was: 'Just wait for now'. The truth is this - The BJP never wanted the Ram Mandir to be built in Ayodhya; it only wanted to keep alive the Ram Mandir issue," he alleged.

He further claimed that the temple was ultimately built following a Supreme Court order and accused the BJP of politicising the consecration ceremony.

Tiwari also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's role in constituting the Ram Temple Trust.

"If Modi ji has claimed the credit for this, how can he absolve himself of the sins committed by the very people to whom he entrusted the responsibility?"

he asked.

Alleging large-scale misappropriation of devotees' offerings, Tiwari said, "Answers must be given to the country's 1.4 billion people. We will take this issue regarding offerings and donations to the public, persist in the fight until the guilty are punished, and raise this matter again in the House on Monday."

He also demanded a court-monitored investigation.

"The faith and sentiments of crores of people are linked to this; therefore, I demand an impartial investigation by an SIT under the supervision of the Supreme Court and that the guilty be given severe punishment."

The remarks came as the investigation into the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Mandir gathered pace.

A member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Mahant Dinendra Das, said on Saturday that the inquiry into alleged irregularities involving gold, silver and other offerings had reached its final stage.

The trust has also tightened monitoring of the donation collection process. Since July 25, every stage of handling donation boxes has been placed under continuous videographic surveillance. An eight-member monitoring team, along with additional CCTV cameras and 360-degree video recording, has been deployed to ensure transparency.

Police have arrested multiple accused in connection with the alleged theft, and the SIT investigation is continuing.