Mumbai: A fresh political controversy erupted in the Maharashtra Legislative Council on Friday after Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde alleged irregularities in the handling of temple donations at Mumbai’s revered Shri Siddhivinayak Temple during the tenure of the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
The allegations surfaced as Shinde responded to opposition criticism over the alleged irregularities surrounding the counting of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Without directly naming former Shri Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple Trust chairman Aadesh Bandekar, Shinde accused those raising questions over the Ram Temple controversy of remaining silent when, he alleged, the Siddhivinayak Temple’s donation box had been “looted.”
Waving what he described as documentary evidence in the Legislative Council, Shinde questioned why no investigation had allegedly been ordered into the matter at the time.
His remarks immediately triggered a political row, bringing the management of donations at one of Mumbai’s most prominent and wealthiest temples under renewed scrutiny.
Responding to Shinde’s accusations, Aadesh Bandekar strongly rejected any suggestion of wrongdoing during his tenure as chairman of the Siddhivinayak Temple Trust.
Bandekar pointed out that his tenure had ended three years ago and stressed that the temple’s executive and finance officers are appointed by the Maharashtra government.
He challenged the authorities to make public any evidence of wrongdoing and called for a transparent and impartial investigation.
“If I am found guilty, hang me in front of the temple. But don’t level false allegations,” Bandekar said.
He maintained that if any irregularity had genuinely taken place, it should be thoroughly investigated and those responsible should be held accountable. At the same time, he warned against using unproven allegations for political attacks.
The confrontation comes against the backdrop of a major controversy that erupted in the first week of June over alleged irregularities in the counting and handling of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
The issue has since fuelled political accusations and demands for accountability, with opposition parties questioning the management of temple donations.
Shinde’s intervention has now widened the political battle. By invoking alleged irregularities at Mumbai’s Siddhivinayak Temple during the previous MVA regime, the Maharashtra deputy chief minister has effectively turned the opposition’s attack back on its critics.
The controversy now leaves two central questions hanging over Maharashtra’s political arena: What exactly is contained in the documents Shinde displayed, and will the state government order a formal investigation into the alleged Siddhivinayak Temple donation irregularities?
Until the evidence is independently examined and any inquiry reaches a conclusion, the allegations remain contested. But the political battle over transparency, accountability and the management of devotees’ donations has clearly intensified.
JANPATH NEWS NETWORK
