Ayodhya, July 7 -- The alleged embezzlement of donations at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple turned into a fresh political flashpoint on Tuesday, with the Bharatiya Janata Party asserting that "the guilty will not be spared" while the Congress accused the ruling party of exploiting devotees' faith.

The political war of words comes after a Special Investigation Team (SIT), in its preliminary report submitted to the Uttar Pradesh government, found prima facie evidence of theft and pilferage during the counting of donations at the temple.

The report, based on CCTV footage, recovery records, financial documents and witness statements, stated that footage from April 27 to June 5 documented around 70 instances of alleged theft or pilferage dur...