No sign of devotees showing 'distrust' in system despite donation row: Nripendra Misra
Ayodhya, July 12
Ram Mandir Construction Committee Chairman Nripendra Misra said on Sunday that devotees are continuing to throng the temple without any signs of "hesitation or distrust" in the system despite the recent donation row.
Speaking to IANS, Misra said he has no data on the flow of devotees since the row, but there are no indications of a dip in the number of people offering prayers daily.
"The personal feedback I received after talking to devotees is that their focus continues to be on Lord Ram and offering prayers to him, and they will continue to come in large numbers," he said.
"I am told the devotees' footfall swells on Saturday and Sunday, and there are sizeable crowds even at Hanuman Garhi," he said, rejecting fears that fewer devotees were turning up in the holy city in the backdrop of the donation row.
Misra termed the recent theft of donations at the Ram Mandir a matter of "deep regret" and assured that the temple administration would strengthen its systems to ensure that such incidents do not recur.
"The incident that occurred at the Ram Mandir is a matter of deep regret for all of us. We not only feel sorry but also feel diminished by what has happened. It is a matter related to the system, and improvements will certainly be made. I have full faith that such incidents will not be repeated," he said.
Providing an update on the construction work, Misra said the Ram Mandir project has entered its final phase, with only two major tasks remaining.
"The first task relates to the old temple and its memorial. Most of the work has been completed, but the arrangement for the 24-hour 'jwala' is still pending. Apart from that, the construction work is complete. The second task is the completion of the memorial, which is expected to be finished by the end of July," he said.
He also reviewed the progress of the temple's boundary wall and expressed confidence that it would be completed within the scheduled timeline.
Misra indicated that most of the construction work within the temple complex would be completed by this year's Independence Day.
He said he expects the construction companies to meet the August 15 deadline for work pending within the complex. "I am not talking about pending work outside the premises, like the museum," he said.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's heartening to see Nripendra Misra ji taking responsibility so openly. The donation row was unfortunate, but his assurance of system improvements is commendable. Devotees like me are more focused on the temple's completion - August 15 deadline feels historic!
Honestly, while I trust the committee, I wish there was more transparency about how donations are tracked. The theft was a black mark, and 'deep regret' alone won't cut it. Show us the new security measures, please. Still, I'll go next month - Ram Lalla awaits! 🚩
The real test is when you talk to locals in Ayodhya. My cousin visited last Sunday - he said crowds were huge near Hanuman Garhi and the temple. Devotees don't care about money being stolen, they care about darshan. Misra ji is right. Faith >>> politics.
I appreciate the update on construction progress - 24-hour jwala and memorial by end of July is great news. But let's not forget the core issue: if systems were strong, such a theft wouldn't happen. Hope they implement biometric tracking for donation boxes. Still, proud of what's been achieved so far.
Look, even temples in villages face such issues sometimes. The difference here is the committee acted responsibly by acknowledging it openly. No cover-up, no excuses. That's why devotees trust them. And the temple itself - seeing it rise is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Going there next month in fact!
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