The finance ministry urged citizens not to believe or circulate such rumours. Spreading unverified information creates unnecessary confusion and may mislead the public, it said.
Published: May 19, 2026 12:12 PM IST
New Delhi: The Modi government on Tuesday said it is not planning to introduce a monetisation scheme for gold held by temple trusts, or any religious institution across the country. The finance ministry called such rumours completely false, misleading and without any basis. It also clarified that claims suggesting gold plates on temple towers, doors, or other temple structures will be considered as ‘Strategic Gold Reserves of India’ are false, misleading, and entirely baseless.
The ministry urged citizens not to believe or circulate such rumours. Spreading unverified information creates unnecessary confusion and may mislead the public, it said. The government urges all citizens to rely only on official communications issued through authorised channels, it said.
Any information regarding policy decisions or government schemes will be shared through official press releases, government websites, and verified public communication platforms, it added.
Kerala HC extends time for SIT probe into Sabarimala gold ‘irregularities’
Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court granted the SIT two more weeks to complete its probe into the alleged misappropriation of gold from Sabarimala artefacts. A bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar extended the time after the Special Investigation Team informed the court that it had not yet received a detailed report from the National Metallurgical Laboratory (NML), Jamshedpur, on around 36 gold samples collected from the artefacts for analysis.
The SIT told the court that the sample analysis involves highly specialised tests that require considerable time for completion. It also submitted that the lab has indicated the final report is expected within 10 days.
“It is only upon receipt of the said report that the investigating agency will be in a position to conclusively ascertain the exact nature and extent of gold plating on the gold-cladded plates, the quantity of gold involved, and whether any substitution or swapping of copper plates had taken place,” the bench noted.
The court also observed that the SIT had submitted that only after receiving the report can the complicity of various persons involved in the removal of gold-clad copper plates from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols be determined.
It further noted that the registration of fresh cases against those involved would also depend on the outcome of the report.
“We are therefore satisfied that the report from the National Metallurgical Laboratory is indispensable for a complete understanding of the facts under investigation and for fixing liability,” the court said.
