Ayodhya: Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust President Mahant Nritya Gopal Das on Monday issued his first formal response regarding the alleged theft of donations from Ayodhya’s Ram Temple, expressing deep anguish over the incident. In a signed letter released ahead of a critical governing body review, Das emphasized his absolute confidence that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath would ensure the strict punishment of all individuals involved in the embezzlement scheme. The senior cleric strongly warned against using the controversy for partisan purposes, asserting that the matter directly impacts the shared faith of millions of devotees across the globe and must remain insulated from personal political maneuvering.
The statement coincided with a high-stakes meeting of the Trust convened to determine the institutional fallout of the multi-million rupee pilferage. Trustees gathered at the Ram Janmabhoomi complex to formally deliberate on the conditional resignations submitted on moral grounds by General Secretary Champat Rai and Trustee Anil Mishra. Both officials face intense internal and external scrutiny for an alleged systemic lack of oversight regarding daily donation management, cash-counting operations, and security protocols within the treasury division.
In addition to evaluating leadership changes, the governing board is examining the initial findings of the Special Investigation Team constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government to track the financial irregularities. The ongoing police probe has already resulted in the naming of eight individuals in the criminal case, including a former driver employed by Champat Rai, with investigators actively analyzing recovered digital files and surveillance data. Seeking to control the reputational damage, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh released a parallel directive calling upon the Trust management to take immediate, transparent measures to restore public trust while cautioning the community to remain vigilant against external factions attempting to exploit the security breakdown.
