Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding an independent and comprehensive investigation into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ayodhya Ram temple.

In their joint letter, the Opposition leaders said lakhs of devotees who donated their hard-earned money to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust were feeling 'betrayed by the theft' and called the Prime Minister's silence on the issue 'unacceptable'.

The leaders urged the Centre to investigate the Trust's financial affairs, including the handling of cash, gold and silver offerings, and sought the public release of the Trust's accounts and the probe findings to ensure transparency.

The alleged donation theft came to light in early June and has so far resulted in the arrest of eight people and the resignation of two senior Trust functionaries.

An FIR was registered on June 25 based on a complaint filed by the Trust.

Gandhi and Kharge also noted that the Trust was constituted following the Supreme Court's directions, with its members appointed by the Centre, and demanded that those found responsible be held accountable irrespective of their position or influence.