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    EYE ON INDIA                                                              JULY 31, 2026    |  The Indian Eye                    8

                                              Ayodhya Temple

                          Donation Scandal Triggers

                                   Governance Overhaul

              The alleged irregularities at the Ram Temple have prompted sweeping reforms, highlighting

                                how transparency is important in managing the prominent temple

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                                Leadership  restructuring  forms
                                                                                                                  another important component of the
            Ayodhya / Lucknow
                                                                                                                  reform  process.  The  selection  of  a
                  he  alleged  donation  counting                                                                 new Chief Executive Officer has en-
                  scandal  at  the  Ram  Janmab-                                                                  tered its final phase, with more than
            Thoomi Temple in Ayodhya                                                                              5,200 applications reportedly received
            has become a defining test of institu-                                                                from across the country. The Trust has
            tional governance for one of India’s                                                                  also  approved  a  secretary-level  ad-
            most significant religious institutions.                                                              ministrative appointment to strength-
            While the Special Investigation Team                                                                  en day-to-day management, although
            (SIT)  probe  into  the  alleged  irreg-                                                              final decisions on the CEO and Gen-
            ularities  is  still  underway,  the  Shri                                                            eral Secretary are expected only at its
            Ram  Janmabhoomi  Teerth  Kshetra                                                                     next meeting in September.
            Trust  has  responded  with  an  exten-                                                                   These developments follow ear-
            sive  package  of  administrative  and                                                                lier  leadership  changes  triggered  by
            religious reforms aimed at restoring                                                                  the  controversy.  The  resignations  of
            public confidence and strengthening                                                                   General Secretary Champat Rai and
            financial oversight.                                                                                  Trustee  Anil  Mishra  were  accepted
                The  measures  announced  af-     Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust Treasurer Govind Dev Giri Maharaj (L)    earlier this month, with retired Indian
            ter the Trust’s latest meeting go well    interacts with the media on alleged Ram Mandir donation embezzlement,    Forest Service officer Krishna Mohan
            beyond  immediate  damage  control.                 in Ayodhya on Wednesday. (ANI Video Grab)         assuming  charge  as  Acting  General
            They  represent  an  effort  to  institu-                                                             Secretary.  The  leadership  transition
            tionalize transparency in the manage-  Manager of Indian Bank, along with   the Trust indicated that its current ar-  underscores the Trust’s willingness to
            ment of a temple that attracts millions   a representative of Swarna Rajat Fi-  rangement with SBI for counting and   initiate  organizational  changes  while
            of  devotees  and handles  enormous   nance,  will  remain  present  during   depositing donations could be recon-  investigations continue.
            volumes of cash offerings every year.   cash counting. Live CCTV monitor-  sidered.                       The  reforms  also  come  against
                The  controversy  erupted  after   ing of the entire counting process will   Equally  important  are  the  in-  the  backdrop  of  judicial  scrutiny.
            allegations  surfaced  regarding  irreg-  also be introduced, creating continu-  stitutional  reforms  beyond  financial   The  Supreme  Court  has  asked  the
            ularities in the counting of donations   ous surveillance and reducing oppor-  oversight.  Recognizing  the  need  for   Uttar Pradesh government to consid-
            received  at  the  Ram  Temple.  The   tunities for manipulation.   greater  transparency  in  public  com-  er  reconstituting  the  SIT  under  the
            matter  quickly  acquired  national  at-  These reforms reflect a broader   munication, the Trust has decided to   leadership of a senior IPS officer ex-
            tention because of the temple’s sym-  shift  towards  professional  financial   appoint an official spokesperson who   perienced  in  financial  investigations.
            bolic  significance  as  one  of  India’s   management. Large religious insti-  will provide timely and authoritative   According  to  the  preliminary  inves-
            most  revered  religious  sites  and  be-  tutions today often manage financial   information regarding temple affairs.   tigation,  CCTV  footage  reportedly
            cause public donations constitute an   resources comparable to those of size-  This move appears aimed at reducing   captured  around  70  suspicious  inci-
            essential source of its operations and   able charitable organizations, making   speculation and ensuring that official   dents,  while  investigators  also  iden-
            future development.               robust  governance  mechanisms  in-  information reaches devotees directly   tified  systemic  weaknesses  such  as
                Although the investigation re-  creasingly  necessary.  The  introduc-  during periods of controversy.   inadequate frisking, poor control over
            mains  incomplete,  the  Trust  has   tion of independent banking oversight   The Trust has simultaneously   personal belongings and deficiencies
            sought to reassure devotees that re-  and real-time surveillance aligns tem-  moved to strengthen religious gov-  in cash-counting procedures.
            forms will proceed irrespective of the   ple administration with modern stan-  ernance  by  reconstituting  its  Pu-  For  the  Ram  Janmabhoomi
            final outcome. It has emphasized that   dards of financial accountability.  ja-Anushthan (Religious) Committee.   Trust,  the  challenge  extends  beyond
            no conclusions should be drawn until   The Trust has also initiated a re-  The new committee, headed by Swa-  resolving an individual case of alleged
            the  SIT  submits  its  report  and  due   view of its existing banking arrange-  mi Govind Dev Giri and comprising   misconduct.  The  temple  occupies  a
            legal  process  is  completed,  while  si-  ments  after  expressing  concern  over   prominent seers from different tradi-  unique place in India’s religious and
            multaneously  introducing  safeguards   lapses  in  standard  operating  proce-  tions, has been tasked with preserving   political landscape, making its gover-
            designed to prevent similar incidents   dures.  Significantly,  several  seers  at-  the sanctity and traditional practices   nance a matter of national public in-
            in the future.                    tending  the  meeting  questioned  the   associated  with  temple  rituals.  This   terest.  Every  administrative  decision
                Among  the  most  significant   role  of  the  State  Bank  of  India  be-  reflects an attempt to ensure that ad-  carries implications not only for finan-
            changes is the overhaul of the dona-  cause personnel engaged by the bank   ministrative reforms do not come at   cial accountability but also for public
            tion counting process. The Trust has   in  donation  counting  were  among   the expense of the temple’s religious   confidence  in  institutions  entrusted
            decided  that  an  Assistant  General   those accused in the case. As a result,   character.          with managing sacred spaces.

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