Nripendra Misra-led panel took all key decisions: Champat Rai amid Ram Temple donation row
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Nripendra Misra-led panel took all key decisions: Champat Rai amid Ram Temple donation row")
Former General Secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust, Champat Rai. Photograph: (ANI)
Champat Rai has claimed that the Nripendra Misra-led construction committee took all key decisions on the Ram Temple project, while Misra dismissed reports of an internal rift as baseless.
Champat Rai, who resigned as general secretary of the trust managing the Ayodhya Ram Temple amid allegations of donation irregularities, has said the temple construction committee led by Nripendra Misra took key decisions related to the project and appointed people to assist with its work.
In a nine-page open letter, the former trust general secretary detailed developments following the Supreme Court's 2019 verdict on the Ram Temple construction. He claimed that Misra brought people of his choice into the construction committee and personally handled major decisions.
Misra-led panel had final say, letter claims
"Nripendra Mishra brought in persons of his choice in the Construction Committee for his help, one of whom came to Ayodhya one or two times in the past six years…. Nripendra Mishra always took all the decisions by himself," the letter said.
The former general secretary also said the committee had complete authority over the construction process and that no work could proceed without its approval.
"If any decision was taken outside, it was not accepted. If something was done, it was removed," he said in the letter.
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He further claimed that Misra decided which company would undertake the construction work and selected the temple's designer. He also alleged that suggestions from other members were often ignored. "Many a time the suggestions of others were not given any importance," he claimed.
Rai resigned from his post following a backlash over allegations of fund theft. However, a Special Investigation Team formed by the state government gave him a clean chit in its probe into the allegations.
The letter came days after an SIT report into alleged irregularities in Ram Temple collections flagged "gross lapses" in the functioning of the trust. The report, however, exonerated Rai and a former trustee.
A separate SIT formed on the Supreme Court's direction was still investigating the matter, according to the information provided.
Misra rejects reports of internal rift
Nripendra Misra, however, rejected reports of an internal dispute linked to the purported letter. Speaking to reporters on Friday after a three-day review meeting, he described the claims as baseless and also discussed the final phase of temple construction.
"I have not seen any such letter. Until I see the letter, I will only tell you that this is a concocted story of yours (media). There is no such letter, nor is there any such criticism, even if it were 9 pages long; he has not made any such criticism. This is merely a made-up story by you (media) people."
