The executive committee of the Shri Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is scheduled to meet in Ayodhya on Monday at 3 pm to deliberate on the resignations of two prominent members and mounting allegations of financial irregularities regarding temple donations, despite lingering uncertainty over member attendance. Trust official Gopal Rao confirmed that the venue for the meeting has been moved from the Mani Ram Chhavni campus to the Ram Mandir itself. Swami Govind Dev Giri, the treasurer of the trust, is expected to formally present the resignations of general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra to the executive committee. Both Rai and Mishra are anticipated to share their perspectives during the session, and sources familiar with the matter suggest that a chief executive officer could be appointed to introduce professional management to the running of the Ram temple.
On Sunday, trust member Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati emphasised the urgent need for professional oversight within the body. Commenting on the ongoing investigation by the Uttar Pradesh government’s three-member Special Investigation Team, he stated that if such an incident had indeed occurred, it was highly condemnable and that such a crime could not be accepted. When questioned about a potential restructure of the trust, Swami Vasudevanand, who holds the title Shankaracharya of Jyotish Peeth, maintained that because the trust was established on the orders of the Supreme Court, a change in its core structure was unnecessary. However, he insisted that securing professional management was essential to prevent similar controversies from arising in the future. These remarks represent the first public comments from the trustee, who had previously defended Rai by dismissing the allegations against him as entirely unfounded. Another trust member, Mahant Dinendra Das of the Nirmohi Akhara, has similarly condemned the accusations.
The investigation has so far led to the arrest of eight individuals: Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Ram Shankar Yadav ‘Tinnu’, Manish Yadav, Subhash Srivastava, Avinash Shukla, Rama Shankar Mishra, and Karunesh Pandey. Among those detained, Anukalp Mishra and Luvkush Mishra are related to one another, as well as to Anil Mishra, the trust member who stepped down last week alongside Champat Rai. Furthermore, Ram Shankar Yadav—an aide to Rai—and Manish Yadav are also related. Last week, police recovered ₹79,85,493 from the eight arrested men, discovering the cash hidden in various locations, including bathrooms, haystacks, and cow dung cakes.
As this is the first meeting since the allegations came to light, the resignations of Rai and Mishra, the ongoing SIT investigation, and the future management of the Ram Mandir top the agenda. The committee will also review the audit report and the 2025–26 financial statement, whilst a final agenda point allows for other matters to be raised with the approval of Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, the trust chairman.
However, achieving a full house remains a challenge. When the trust was formed on February 5, 2020, it comprised 15 members, made up of four ex-officio members and 11 others. Of those 11, Kameshwar Chaupal and Vimlendra Mohan Pratap Mishra passed away in February and August 2025 respectively. Krishna Mohan, a retired Indian Forest Service officer, was appointed to replace Kameshwar Chaupal in September 2025, but Mishra’s seat remains vacant. Additionally, four other members are currently battling poor health: the 89-year-old chairman Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, 90-year-old Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati, 90-year-old Swami Paramanand, and 92-year-old Supreme Court senior advocate Keshav Parasaran. Mahant Nritya Gopal Das has returned to Ayodhya following treatment at a private hospital in Lucknow and is expected to chair Monday's meeting, while Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati has also arrived in the city for the discussions. According to the trust’s deed, a two-thirds majority is legally required to formally accept the resignations.
Meanwhile, the BJP national president, Nabin, accused Opposition parties of attempting to exploit an issue deeply tied to the faith of millions of Hindus for political gain. He declared that they would ensure no one tampered with the faith associated with Lord Ram’s temple, warning leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, and Arvind Kejriwal not to underestimate Hinduism or assume the public would be misled by political deception. Conversely, Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament John Brittas stated on Sunday that the government's ongoing institutional presence in the trust cannot be ignored. His comments followed a letter he sent to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, requesting a review of the Centre’s position that the trust sits outside the scope of the Right to Information Act. Brittas argued that transparency must not become a casualty simply because the government labels a trust as autonomous, noting that compliance with a Supreme Court judgment does not dissolve the legal character of a government notification.
Also read: Decoding Congress’ new found love for Ram Mandir
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