The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has decided that Gopal Rao, also known as Gopal Nagarkatte, will no longer be invited to its meetings, Mahant Kamal Nayan Das, successor to Trust President Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, said on Tuesday after a recent high-level meeting of the Trust in Ayodhya.
Confirming the decision, Nayan Das said, "Gopal Ji used to attend the meetings as a special invitee, but it has now been decided that he will no longer be invited. Apart from that, there was no discussion regarding Gopal Ji." His statement came after Gopal Rao, who had been serving as a special invitee to the Trust, was reportedly removed by the board following its July 6 meeting amid growing tensions within the organisation.
Meanwhile, Mahant Nayan Das announced on Monday that Krishna Mohan has been given the additional responsibility of serving as the interim general secretary of the Ram Mandir Trust. "Krishna Mohan has been entrusted with the responsibility of Interim General Secretary," he said.
Clarifying who attended Monday's meeting, Nayan Das said, "Gopal Rao was not invited to the meeting. Champat Rai was also not present." At the meeting, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust accepted the resignations of former General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra. The board approved both resignations as an investigation into the alleged embezzlement of temple donation funds continues.
Also read: Ram Temple donation row: SIT flags ‘supervisory failures’
The Trust is also examining a proposal to appoint a Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri Maharaj said such an appointment is necessary to bring greater administrative discipline and professional oversight to the management of the Trust's affairs.
He said the absence of a CEO had contributed to the current situation and disclosed that a committee has been constituted to identify and recommend three suitable candidates, from whom the Trust will make the final appointment.
"All of this happened due to the absence of a CEO, because the task of oversight requires the discipline that professional bureaucratic people bring. We didn't bring that kind of professional oversight here, and this was the result. So, we will bring one in; we have formed a committee to select and recommend three names, and we will choose one from among them," Govind Dev Giri Maharaj said.
Meanwhile, a preliminary report submitted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to the Uttar Pradesh government has found prima facie evidence of theft and pilferage during the counting of donations at the Ram Temple. Officials said the investigation into the alleged financial irregularities is continuing.
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