New Delhi: The SIT has submitted its investigation report regarding the theft of offerings at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, granting a clean chit to Champat Rai, the former General Secretary of the Teerth Kshetra (Trust). Now, Champat Rai has made a claim regarding Nripendra Mishra, the Chairman of the Temple Construction Committee and a former IAS officer, which has become a topic of discussion.
Questioning Nripendra Mishra’s role, Champat Rai issued a statement covering 33 points across nine pages. He claimed that the temple construction proceeded exactly as Mishra desired. He also recounted the sequence of events from the Supreme Court’s 2019 order to the present, asserting that Mishra made key decisions, including the selection of the construction company and the architect. According to Rai, there were instances where decisions or advice from anyone other than Nripendra Mishra were disregarded.
What exactly did Champat Rai say?
After receiving a clean chit in the SIT report, Champat Rai stated that Nripendra Mishra was the central figure in all decisions regarding the temple’s construction. He claimed that L&T was selected for the construction work at Mishra’s behest and that Mishra remained the key decision-maker throughout the process. The former General Secretary also mentioned that Anoop Mittal used to attend meetings alongside Nripendra Mishra.
What are the key details in the letter written by Champat Rai?
An independent trust named ‘Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra’ was established by the Central Government following the Supreme Court’s directive. A total of 15 trustees were appointed. One trustee position was reserved for the Nirmohi Akhara, and another was reserved for a representative from the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes. Additionally, the local District Magistrate, along with one representative each from the Uttar Pradesh government and the Government of India (who are IAS officers), were appointed as ex-officio trustees.
Acting on the advice of the Central Government, a senior administrative officer was appointed as an ex-officio trustee. He has also been designated as the chairman of the temple construction committee and the committee managing all temple-related affairs; Nripendra Mishra currently holds this position. Additionally, senior advocate K. Parasaran serves as a founding trustee.
Trustees were appointed from Udupi, Pune, Prayagraj, and Haridwar, as well as from Ayodhya. Based on recommendations, Larsen & Toubro was selected for the temple construction, and Tata was chosen to serve as the project consultant, as an organisation of that stature was required for the role.
What did Nripendra Mishra say regarding the theft of temple offerings?
These allegations by the former general secretary were levelled at a time when the SIT investigation into another case of offering theft is in its final stages. Meanwhile, Nripendra Mishra has stated that the temple construction is expected to be completed by March 2027. Regarding the theft of offerings, Mishra had remarked that he had no hesitation in calling the incident an act of dacoity, in addition to being a case of mismanagement.
During this period, Mishra, without naming anyone,e had stated that high-level appointments were made arbitrarily. He had also emphasised for the first time that the operations and management of the Ram Temple needed to function under a system similar to a CEO-led structure. Champat Rai, on the other hand, maintained that not a single task was undertaken without a committee decision.
