Champat Rai, who was compelled to step down as the final secretary of the belief that runs the Ayodhya Ram Temple amid allegations of donation irregularities, has written an open letter, saying the Nripendra Misra-led temple building committee cleared all selections and made appointments for his help.
He mentioned Misra inducted folks of his alternative into the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple Building Committee. Rai mentioned one among them got here to Ayodhya solely twice in six years, and solely strategies associated to safety have been sought from one other. Rai mentioned a 3rd member was common and at all times attended conferences with Misra. He added that conferences have been held month-to-month and generally each 15 days.
Rai pressured that the committee’s authority was absolute. He added that not a single job was executed with out the committee’s approval. “If any determination was taken outdoors, it was not accepted. If one thing was completed, it was eliminated,” Rai mentioned within the letter that has gone viral and triggered contemporary debate over the committee’s functioning.
Rai maintained that Misra projected himself as the only real authority on all construction-related issues, whilst he acknowledged the temple is a actuality due to him. Rai credited Misra with making certain the temple was inaugurated after its building started in 2020 amid the COVID pandemic. “That is solely the results of Nripendra ji’s work,” Rai wrote.
Rai mentioned Misra would instantly attain out to essentially the most succesful folks, deliver them to Ayodhya, and get points resolved at any time when the development confronted a technical or logistical hurdle. Rai additionally famous that students and consultants contributed in a spirit of service and didn’t take any remuneration.
HT reached out to Rai. He confirmed that he wrote the letter.
The letter was written days after a Particular Investigation Group (SIT)’s closing report into allegations of irregularities within the Ram Temple collections flagged “gross lapses” within the belief’s functioning, nevertheless it exonerated him and a former trustee.
Misra dismissed stories about an inner rift inside the committee and mentioned he has not seen Rai’s letter. “Till I see the letter, I’ll solely inform you that this can be a concocted story of yours [media]. There isn’t any such letter, neither is there any such criticism, even when it have been 9 pages lengthy. He has not made any such criticism. That is merely a made-up story…”
The Uttar Pradesh authorities constituted the SIT on June 13. It filed its interim report on July 20. The Supreme Courtroom arrange a second SIT on July 20, and that’s nonetheless probing the case.
The state SIT report criticised the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Belief and its lack {of professional} monetary administration. It questioned the function of the State Financial institution of India (SBI), which held the belief’s principal account.
But it surely didn’t discover any proof of allegations of embezzlement towards Rai or former belief member Anil Mishra. The 2 resigned on June 25 within the face of mounting stress and Opposition criticism.
The SIT named Ram Shankar Yadav, or Tinnu Yadav, a former aide and driver of Rai, because the mastermind behind the alleged diversion of funds. Yadav is one among eight males arrested in reference to the allegations.
The controversy first surfaced on June 7 when Opposition Samajwadi Get together chief Tej Narayan ‘Pawan’ Pandey alleged that donations value ₹5 crore to ₹7.5 crore have been siphoned off from temple choices. On June 13, the state authorities arrange the SIT.
In its interim report, the SIT alleged that part of the choices was siphoned off earlier than being deposited into the temple’s designated checking account, resulting in the arrest of eight staff related to dealing with and counting donations on June 26.
HT reported that six of the eight arrested males have been on the payroll of a Varanasi-based safety company that offered manpower to SBI, allegedly on the advice of belief members.
