Following the revelation of a donation theft incident at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra Trust has begun implementing significant changes to the temple's security and administrative procedures. As part of these measures, the Trust has initiated a review of all 349 employees working at the temple to thoroughly examine their duties, functions, and past records, thereby eliminating the possibility of any future violations.
The most substantial change concerns the donation counting system. The Trust, in collaboration with the State Bank of India (SBI), has introduced a new scheme that completely abolishes the roles of all 36 former workers who were responsible for counting donations. Now, the entire process of counting cash donations received by the temple will be entrusted to new, authorized personnel provided by SBI.
The Trust believes that this new system will make the accounting process more transparent, secure, and accountable. Furthermore, the staff review and the implementation of a new oversight system will strengthen the confidence of pilgrims. The Trust's goal is to prevent the recurrence of such incidents and ensure the complete impartiality and reliability of the temple's operations.
An important meeting of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra Trust is scheduled for today. Several major decisions regarding the organizational structure and administrative management of the temple may be made at this meeting. It is expected that a decision will be reached on appointing a new General Secretary of the Trust, as well as filling two other crucial vacancies that have remained open for a long time.
According to sources, a representative of Vishwa Hindu Parishad is likely to become the new General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra Trust. Given the recent donation theft incident and subsequent investigation, the Trust is taking steps to further strengthen its administrative system. A detailed analysis of new workflows, increased accountability, and more effective financial control will be conducted.
The appointment of a new General Secretary is considered critically important for the Trust, as numerous corrective measures are being implemented in the Trust's operations following the donation theft incident. The appointment to two other vacant positions is also anticipated. There is a high probability that his son, a member of the royal family, and the litterateur Yatindra Mishra will be appointed to the position vacated by Bimalendra Mohan Pratap Mishra. Additionally, it is possible that a seat will be given to one of the saints from Ayodhya. It is reported that the meeting will discuss new protocols regarding the temple's donation counting, accounting system, banking services, oversight system, and employee responsibilities.
Amidst the controversy over the embezzlement of donations, candidates for three vacant positions in the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust are being discussed. These positions became vacant following the departure of Champat Rai, as well as the exit of Trust member Anil Mishra and the death of Trust member Bimalendra Mohan Pratap Mishra.
The Trust plans to hold a special meeting at the Ram Mandir complex on Wednesday afternoon, followed by a regular session at Maniram Chauni. According to Trust sources, the agenda includes appointing a new General Secretary, filling three vacant seats on the Trust board, and finalizing the selection process for the first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the temple.
The meeting may also consider the SIT report presented by the Supreme Court regarding the alleged donation fraud. The agenda also includes verifying the count of currency notes received as donations at Ram Mandir and reviewing the temple's security measures.
Krishna Mohan has been appointed as the interim General Secretary following the departure of Champat Rai. However, Bill Baghd's name is once again actively being discussed ahead of the upcoming meeting, as the national general secretary of VHP. It is reported that he is a contender for both a position on the Trust board and the post of Trust General Secretary. His name was mentioned at the July 6 meeting, but no decision was made due to disagreements over the proposal for a new candidate.
In addition to Bill Baghd, national coordinator Bajang Dal, Niraj Danodia, was also mentioned among the potential candidates, which led to both of them being in Ayodhya on July 6 but unable to make a decision at the Trust meeting.
Many saints and spiritual leaders from Ramnagari are actively being discussed for membership in the Ram Mandir Trust. Among them are influential saints associated with the Ramanandi Vaishnav order. In addition to Bill Baghd, other names under discussion include Mahant Acharya Mitilienandanisharan from Siddhipit Hanumannivas; Mahant Kamalnandas, heir to Chauni Maniramdas Ji; Mahant Radhukar Das and Mahant Ramsharanadas from Shri Ramvallabhakund; Dr. Ramanandas and Jagadguru Ramanujacharya Swami Vasudevacharya Vidyabhaskar from Ramkata Kund.
Furthermore, Yatindra Mohan Mishra, heir to the royal family of Ayodhya and a renowned writer, is also being considered among the leading candidates. His father, Bimalendra Mohan Mishra, was a member of the Trust and the temple construction committee, who recently passed away.
The case of donation embezzlement at Ram Mandir surfaced in June, after which the Uttar Pradesh government formed an SIT. Eight suspects have been arrested so far. On Monday, the Supreme Court requested the state government to provide the court with information on the possibility of transferring the SIT investigation from the local police to ensure an impartial and transparent investigation, which could lead to the creation of a new SIT for further investigation.
The treasurer of Ram Mandir, Swami Govind Dev Giri, denied on Tuesday reports that he had resigned due to the ongoing investigation into the alleged theft of donations.
Giri stated that he lives in a modest one-room house with a kitchen in Pune, and not a single brick of this house belongs to him. He categorically denies the rumors of resignation, noting that he has never expressed such intentions.
He added that he is a follower of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and does not abandon his work. Regarding the departure of Champat Rai from the post of General Secretary of the Trust, Giri reported that Rai left voluntarily after realizing his own negligence, and there was no pressure from anyone.
Swami Govind Dev Giri expressed satisfaction with the SIT investigation, emphasizing that they have no influence on the course of the investigation since the crime was committed against Lord Rama. He called for the punishment of people with such malicious intentions.
Concerning the amount stolen, Giri gave an approximate estimate, suggesting the theft amounts to about 3 crore rupees. At the same time, he called completely false the reports of the theft of gold, silver, and other valuables worth 14 crore rupees.
Earlier, on Monday, the Ayodhya court extended the judicial proceedings for all eight accused in the alleged donation theft case at Ram Mandir by another 14 days. The accused were able to appear in court via video conference and are scheduled to appear again on July 27.
So far, the police have interrogated four other accused: Avinash Shukla, Anukalpa Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, and Karunesh Pandey. According to sources, investigator Ashutosh Tiwari presented evidence and documents collected during the arrest of three accused to the Anti-Corruption Court of Ayodhya.
On Monday, the Supreme Court also sent notifications to the Centre, the Uttar Pradesh government, and the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust requesting responses to petitions calling for an independent, court-monitored investigation into the alleged misuse of donations at the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.
The Ayodhya court scheduled a hearing for Tuesday regarding the application for the police custody of Ram Shankar Yadav, known as Tinnu Yadav, and former bank employee Subhash Srivastava, who were arrested in connection with the alleged theft of donations intended for the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple.
Nripendra Mishra, Chairman of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust, reacted decisively to the incident of donation theft in Ram Mandir. Discussing this situation with the media on Friday, he called the case a 'stain' and noted that such an occurrence is extremely regrettable after Lord Rama settled in his magnificent temple following a long movement for Ram Mandir.
Mishra assured that the Trust took this matter very seriously and plans to make the temple's administrative systems more robust and transparent. He emphasized that maintaining the trust of pilgrims is the primary responsibility of the Trust, and necessary improvements at the administrative level will be made to prevent similar incidents in the future.
A high-level committee has been formed to appoint the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ram Mandir, which will review the candidatures of qualified individuals, after which the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust will make the final decision. Mishra stated that all steps will be taken to ensure the dignity, transparency, and smooth functioning of the temple.
Currently, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust is preparing to implement large-scale changes in the operation of Ram Mandir after July 22. These proposed changes cover improvements in visiting systems, methods of worship, Raga-Bhag rituals, donation management, security, crowd control, and pilgrim amenities. The Trust is seeking opinions from scholars following the Ramanandi tradition and saints so that the new systems become more transparent, organized, and convenient for pilgrims.
According to sources, new systems may be approved at the Trust's planned meeting on July 22. Decisions are also expected regarding the appointment of a new General Secretary of the Trust and the selection of new members for vacant positions. The Trust's goal is to simplify the visiting system, increase the transparency of donation management, and ensure greater accountability of the administrative structure.
Work is underway to improve security systems, crowd management, and the service system. The Trust's Treasurer, Govind Devagri, hinted that the systems would be improved based on suggestions from religious communities. Dinesh Chandra, trustee of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, received detailed recommendations on worship methods from Dinendra Das, Mahant Nirmohi Akhara, and a Trust member. Mahant Dinendra Das insisted on implementing classical rules and procedures for worship in Ram Mandir in accordance with the Ramanandi tradition.
