"Ram temple trust found no fault with Champat Rai, all gold and silver donations are safe": Mahant Dinendra Das
Ayodhya, July 7
Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra trustee Mahant Dinendra Das on Tuesday said that the Trust found no wrongdoing on the part of former General Secretary Champat Rai during its meeting held on Monday, while asserting that all gold and silver donations made to the Ram Temple are safe and fully accounted for.
Speaking to ANI, Mahant Dinendra Das said the trustees had initially favoured retaining Champat Rai as no fault had been established against him, but accepted his resignation after legal advice.
"All the key figures associated with Ram Lalla had arrived. The proposal was accepted. No wrongdoing was found on the part of Champat Rai by the trust. However, because of his resignation, everyone was ready to accept it. We said that since no fault was found in Champat Rai, he should be retained. But the lawyer handling the Janmabhoomi case received a call stating that since he has given a written resignation, it should be accepted. The trustees agreed that if the authorities or court held that a written resignation must be accepted, then everyone had to agree," he said.
Addressing allegations regarding valuable offerings made to the temple, Das rejected claims that gold and silver donations had gone missing.
"Regarding the serious allegations that saddened many--specifically about the gold and silver donations--all the gold and silver is there, safely stored and accounted for. A full report of it has been provided. Ram Lalla has ensured all work is completed. The mistakes being shown were mostly narratives from the media. Ultimately, the media's own errors were revealed," he said.
He said Keshav Mohan has been appointed in place of Champat Rai and will oversee the functioning of the Trust. "In place of Champat Rai, Keshav Mohan has been appointed. He is looking after everything safely and overseeing all the accounts. The newly appointed member will handle the proceedings and continue providing full accounts," Das said.
His remarks came a day after Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust Treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj announced that the resignations of Champat Rai as General Secretary and trustee Anil Mishra had been accepted following a Trust meeting convened in the wake of the SIT probe into the alleged Ram Mandir donation theft.
Swami Govind Dev Giri had said the negligence of the two office-bearers over a prolonged period was a serious matter and that those involved in the alleged embezzlement must face investigation and appropriate punishment. He also rejected allegations that valuable offerings had disappeared, stating that all donated items were documented and safe.
The Trust meeting followed a preliminary Special Investigation Team (SIT) report, which pointed to serious security lapses in the Ram Mandir donation counting room and alleged systematic theft of cash by some counting staff. The SIT said its findings were preliminary and that further investigation and legal action are underway.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I appreciate the clarity from Mahant Dinendra Das. However, the SIT investigation still needs to be thorough—people's faith shouldn't be taken for granted. Let's hope the new appointee Keshav Mohan maintains strict accountability.
The timeline is a bit confusing—first they say no fault found, then resignation accepted due to legal advice. Shouldn't the trust have clarified these procedures earlier? Anyway, good that gold and silver are safe. Ram Mandir's sanctity should remain unquestionable.
Interesting to see the transparency efforts here. In the US, we'd have similar accountability concerns. Hope the SIT probe uncovers everything—whether it's about security or mismanagement. Faith-based institutions everywhere need to be above board.
Media narratives? Mahant ji mentioned that. It's true that sometimes reports create unnecessary panic. But trust should also proactively share reports to avoid speculation. Let the SIT do its job fully. Ram Lalla's temple is a matter of national pride.
Honestly, this whole episode is a bit unsettling. Devotees donate with such faith, and we need total clarity. Glad the gold and silver are safe, but why did it take an SIT report to trigger accountability? Hope the new team ensures better oversight.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.