Ram Temple Construction Committee Chairman Describes Donation Theft as 'Stain'

Ayodhya: Ram Temple Construction Committee Chairman Nripendra Mishra on Saturday described the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple as a "stain" and said the incident had left everyone associated with the project feeling ashamed. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the second day of the Ram Temple Construction Committee meeting at the Ram Katha Museum, Mishra expressed confidence that corrective measures would be taken to prevent such incidents in future. "It is a kind of stain. We all deeply regret it and feel diminished by what has happened. I am fully confident that the system will be strengthened and such incidents will not recur," he said. Referring to the ongoing inquiry, Mishra said a high-level committee had been constituted to examine the matter. "A high-level committee has been formed, possibly headed by a judge. It will submit its findings and recommendations to the trust, which will consider them," he said. Notably, no member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust attended Friday's meeting held at the temple complex. Meanwhile, the trust has outlined the eligibility criteria for appointing its first full-time Chief Executive Officer. According to the selection committee, the CEO will be a retired IAS officer or an officer of equivalent rank with at least 20 years of government service. The candidate should also have prior experience in managing a temple or a similar religious institution. The appointment will initially be for a three-year term, with the trust board retaining the option to extend the tenure. The selected officer will be required to reside in Ayodhya. The donation theft case has also triggered a fresh round of political sparring in Uttar Pradesh. In Gorakhpur, Samajwadi Party leader Arvind Upendra Dutt Shukla put up posters targeting the BJP over the alleged scam. One poster read, "Chant the name of Ram, keep the devotees' donations for yourself," while another said, "Lord Ram told Sita that in Kaliyug, thieves will steal from the temple while the watchman looks on." The BJP's supporters hit back in Rae Bareli, where Vishwa Hindu Raksha Parishad national general secretary Rahul Singh installed posters accusing the Samajwadi Party of politicising the issue. The posters read, "Questions on donations to the Ram Temple, silence on terror funding? Lord Ram is our faith, not a political weapon."