A total of 5,200 applications have been submitted for the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position in the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The selection process is anticipated to conclude within a month, as confirmed by temple officials following a special meeting held on Wednesday. The meeting, conducted within the temple complex in Ayodhya, aimed to finalize the appointment of a new General Secretary and fill three vacant Trustee positions, along with appointing the Ram Mandir’s first CEO amidst a donation misappropriation controversy.
Briefing reporters on the meeting’s outcomes, the Temple Trust’s interim General Secretary Krishna Mohan highlighted the substantial number of applications received for the CEO role. Consequently, the Board opted to extend the selection process by four weeks. Despite ongoing negative narratives and misinformation surrounding the donation mismanagement issue, Mohan emphasized that devotees’ faith remains unwavering. The footfall of devotees at the Ram Mandir has reportedly remained consistent.
Ram Temple Treasurer Govind Dev Giri disclosed the reconstitution of a nine-member religious committee to oversee the temple’s religious practices and rituals. Comprising five members from the Ayodhya saint community and four from other temple trusts, the committee will ensure the adherence to Vedic Ramanandi traditions in the daily temple rituals at the Ram temple. Additionally, plans are underway to establish a certified institute, endorsed by the Ram temple trust, to train priests for the temple’s religious duties.
The Trust addressed concerns regarding alleged embezzlement in donation handling, stating that discussions on irregularities in the offering-counting process were pending the final report from the Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the matter. No deliberations could occur until the SIT’s report is received.
