Champat Rai letter: Nripendra Misra-led panel cleared all Ram Temple decisions

Champat Rai, previously the general secretary of the trust overseeing the Ayodhya Ram Temple, has released an open letter detailing the activities of the Nripendra Misra-led temple construction committee. Rai alleges that Misra appointed individuals of his choosing to the committee, including one person who only visited Ayodhya twice in six years, another whose role was limited to providing security advice, and a third who was consistently present at meetings.

The letter states that the committee held monthly meetings, sometimes extending to every 15 days, and that no construction-related task proceeded without the committee's explicit approval. Rai also claims that Misra positioned himself as the ultimate authority over all construction decisions, even as he acknowledged the temple's existence due to his efforts.

The letter claims that Misra was proactive in addressing construction challenges by assembling the most capable individuals and resolving issues as they arose. Rai further states that scholars and experts contributed to the temple project voluntarily, without expecting any remuneration. The letter was penned days after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) released a report highlighting significant lapses in the trust's operations, though the report ultimately cleared Rai and a former trustee of wrongdoing.

Misra has dismissed the letter as a fabricated story and has not yet reviewed its contents. The Uttar Pradesh government established the SIT on June 13, with the interim report filed on July 20, criticizing the trust's financial management and the involvement of the State Bank of India. No evidence of embezzlement against Rai or former trustee Anil Mishra was found.

The SIT also named Ram Shankar Yadav, a former aide to Rai, as the alleged mastermind behind the alleged diversion of funds. Yadav is among eight men arrested in connection with the allegations.