MNS chief Raj Thackeray alleges ₹18 crore annual donation “theft” at Siddhivinayak Temple
Mr.Thackeray’s allegation of ₹18 crore amounts to about 10% of the temple’s FY2026 revenue
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray claimed on Saturday that a staggering ₹18 crore in annual donations were being stolen at the renowned Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai. The temple, known for its growing popularity among devotees, reportedly earned ₹182 crore in revenue during the fiscal year 2025-26, with the ₹18 crore figure representing around 10% of that revenue.
Thackeray made the allegations during a meeting with his party's student wing, calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the issue. He also alleged that ₹1,400 crore was stolen from the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Nine employees were arrested in connection with the Siddhivinayak Temple theft case, and trust chairman Sada Sarvankar confirmed that cases had been filed as required.
The allegations gained importance as the investigation into the Ayodhya Ram Temple donation theft progressed. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut echoed Thackeray's claims, suggesting that the issue had worsened since the temple's management changed hands to people allied with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Raut accused BJP members of involvement in the Ayodhya temple embezzlement, alleging that while high-profile individuals escaped scrutiny, smaller players were arrested.
He added that instances of temple donation theft were on the rise across the country, likely controlled by the BJP.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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