As the political row over alleged irregularities in donations at the Ram Temple continued, Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai on Tuesday alleged that he and several party leaders were detained by the police and prevented from offering prayers at the shrine.Rai claimed that he and members of a Congress delegation were taken into custody around 11.30 pm on Monday and shifted to the guest house of Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology in Ayodhya.According to Rai, the delegation had travelled to Ayodhya to offer prayers at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple and seek the blessings of Lord Ram.He said the leaders also intended to pray over what he described as the disrepute brought to the temple by allegations of theft of offerings and donations, as well as irregularities in land transactions linked to the temple project.Rai alleged that instead of being allowed to proceed to the temple, members of the delegation were placed under house arrest and prevented from leaving the university guest house.He further alleged that the police action amounted to harassment aimed at stopping Congress leaders from visiting the shrine.Rai said the party was prepared to face arrest, if necessary, to exercise its right to visit the temple and offer prayers.In a post shared from Rai’s X account, his wife, Rina Rai, alleged that the BJP government was attempting to silence the Congress leader and said the party would continue its campaign over the alleged theft of donations. She added that if anything happened to her husband, the government would be responsible.Following reports of Rai’s detention, Congress workers gathered outside the university guest house and staged a protest demanding that he be allowed to proceed with his visit.Congress worker Lalan Kumar alleged that the Ayodhya administration had placed the delegation, including Rai, under house arrest shortly after its arrival in the city.He said local Congress leaders had begun a sit-in protest outside the guest house and would continue their agitation until Rai was released and party workers were allowed to meet him.