Ram Temple Trust Delays CEO, General Secretary Appointments

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has deferred the appointment of a permanent General Secretary and the Ram Temple's first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) due to a lack of consensus among trustees.

The decision was made during a crucial meeting held on Wednesday in Ayodhya, which focused on administrative restructuring and measures to tighten oversight of temple finances after the alleged diversion of donations.

Acting General Secretary Krishna Mohan will continue in office, while the Trust fixed September 2 for its next meeting, when the appointments are expected to be finalised. The meeting was chaired by Trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das and lasted for two hours, from 3 pm to 5 pm.

The Trust expressed dissatisfaction with the State Bank of India's response after irregularities in the donation counting process surfaced. It directed its finance committee to review the Trust's banking relationship with SBI and examine the existing standard operating procedures before taking a final decision.

The Trust also decided to publish monthly audit reports online in the wake of the donation embezzlement case. However, it could not deliberate on the findings of the Special Investigation Team probing the alleged embezzlement as the final investigation report has not yet been submitted.

Trustees took note of proceedings pending before the Allahabad High Court in connection with the case. The board reviewed security arrangements at the temple and expressed satisfaction that access to the CCTV camera network has now been provided to all security officials to strengthen surveillance and accountability.

The meeting discussed six key agenda items, including filling three permanent trustee vacancies created by the resignation of former General Secretary Champat Rai and the death of trustee Raja Ayodhya Vimlendra Mohan Pratap Mishra.

The appointment of a new General Secretary also remained inconclusive, with Acting General Secretary Krishna Mohan and Vishwa Hindu Parishad General Secretary Bajrang Lal Bagra being the frontrunners for the post.

The Trust reviewed the selection process for its first CEO, a post being created to professionalise the administration of the temple, and decided to defer the appointment until the next meeting. More than 5,500 applications have been received from across the country.

The development is significant in the wake of the donation embezzlement case, which has raised concerns about the management of the temple's finances. The Trust's decision to publish monthly audit reports online is aimed at increasing transparency and accountability.

The Ram Temple Trust's next meeting on September 2 is expected to be crucial in finalising the appointments and taking further decisions on the management of the temple's finances.

The outcome of the meeting will be closely watched, given the significance of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the ongoing controversy surrounding the donation embezzlement case.

In conclusion, the Ram Temple Trust's decision to defer the appointment of a permanent General Secretary and CEO is a significant development in the wake of the donation embezzlement case. The Trust's efforts to increase transparency and accountability are welcome, and the outcome of the next meeting will be closely watched.