Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has stirred a major controversy by alleging a massive embezzlement of funds at Mumbai’s iconic Siddhivinayak Temple. He claimed that donations worth approximately Rs 18 crore are being stolen every year from the temple. The explosive allegations come amidst ongoing national debates over alleged financial irregularities in religious places, including the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and the Badrinath Dham in Uttarakhand.
Speaking at a programme marking the 20th anniversary of his party’s student wing in Mumbai on Saturday, August 1, Thackeray raised serious concerns about the safety of temple funds. He stated that desperate youth visit temples seeking solace, but even these places of worship are no longer free from corruption.
To back his claims, the MNS leader asserted that eight trustees of the Siddhivinayak Temple had recently written a letter to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, demanding an inquiry into the matter. Reading excerpts from the purported letter, Thackeray said that some temple employees involved in stealing money from the donation boxes were caught due to the vigilance of the trustees.
“The letter claims that temple employees were involved in the theft. After these employees were caught, the average amount of donations increased significantly. According to their letter, an annual loot of about Rs 18 crore was taking place. There must be an impartial probe into this,” Thackeray demanded.
During his address, he also took a dig at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that Rs 1,400 crore was stolen from the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, yet leaders remain silent on the issue.
However, the Siddhivinayak Temple Trust has strongly refuted these allegations. Sada Sarvankar, the Trust Chairman and a leader of the Eknath Shinde led Shiv Sena, clarified that Thackeray had misinterpreted the letter.
“There was no complaint of an Rs 18 crore scam. We found out that some employees were embezzling donations, after which we took action against nine of them. We have registered cases wherever necessary,” Sarvankar explained.
He further added that strict action was also taken against employees accepting money from devotees for quick darshan. According to the Trust Chairman, recent administrative reforms have significantly boosted the temple’s revenue, with the annual income rising from Rs 114 crore two years ago to Rs 182 crore presently.