CPI(M) MP Urges Centre to Reconsider Ram Temple Trust's RTI Status

LUCKNOW: Amid the controversy over the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah urging the Centre to reconsider its stand that the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is not a public authority under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Sharing the letter via X on Sunday, Brittas said it was not prudent to keep the trust outside the ambit of the RTI Act merely because the government described it as an "autonomous" body, when it had been constituted through a government-approved scheme, vested with land acquired under a parliamentary law and continued to have serving IAS officers in its governing framework. He urged the Union government to revisit its earlier position, saying: "Trusts that enjoy unparalleled public faith must also uphold the highest standards of public transparency and accountability." Referring to a Central Information Commission (CIC) order dated 6 June 2025 holding that the trust was not a "public authority" under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, Brittas said the decision had relied substantially on the Ministry of Home Affairs' stand and requested the ministry to review its position in the interest of transparency and public accountability.