Ram Mandir Construction Committee Chairman Nripendra Mishra gave major information in a special conversation with TV9 Bharatvarsh regarding the alleged donation scam in Ayodhya’s Ram Temple. He reacted to the monitoring system of the temple, the functioning of the counting room and the allegations against Champat Rai, the general secretary of the trust. He said that Ram temple is the center of faith. The word scam being used today is a big deal but even if there is some small incident, it is a very serious matter.
Nripendra Mishra said, if any person there gets inconvenienced even by an animal, we feel very sad. People come there with deep faith. I often ask people how they felt after coming to the temple. When I ask people if there was any problem? So they say what is the problem in seeing God. The information received now is preliminary. I am on the committee. About 44 people work in the counting room. Most of these are in daily service.
Monitoring of counting room is necessary
He said, I am using these words so that there should not be any kind of compromise in the counting room. Their monitoring is necessary. Investigation is going on. I have received information that some money was found in a room near the toilet. When Champat Rai got information about this, he reached there. After that the investigation started. After consulting his colleagues, he thought it appropriate that the state government should constitute a SIT and investigate it.
The question is how will his account be?
There is talk that jewelery has also gone missing? On this question he said, it should be seen in two parts. Firstly, the accounts of those who donate with receipts are maintained. This donation is deposited in the bank. The second part is that apart from the money in the donation box, people donate their jewelery in front of God, if it is turned over at the time of counting, it will be found there. Now the question is how will his account be?
Nripendra Mishra said, outsiders speculate that such a situation arose that the person who wanted to take the money did not get a chance, so he might have left it near the toilet. The important thing amidst all this is that we have to maintain the faith of the devotees.
What did Nripendra Mishra say about Champat Rai?
What assumption should be made about Champat Rai? Is he involved in this or is he innocent? On these questions he said, he has been associated with the temple movement. He has faced every situation. He does not have any bank account. I don’t think that if this has happened then he is involved in it. He is the head of the management. Because of being the head, people are in a position to say this today but it is not so. The main reason is that the monitoring system in the entire temple complex is either non-existent or if it is, it is very poor.
800 CCTV cameras in the temple premises
Nripendra Mishra said, about 800 CCTV cameras are installed in the temple parisham. There is a control room which is monitored by the police but I do not think that CCTV has been used properly. If CCTVs are installed in the counting room and it is being said that this has happened only through CCTV, then the correct thing is that CCTV monitoring has been affected.
TV9’s question- Champat Rai bought land at many times higher price? On this he said, the land that was purchased was the first warning. It was not done with the care that should have been taken. We had to take some land which was necessary. There is a difficulty in Ayodhya that most of the land there belongs to Nazul. The result is that I negotiate with you but your name is not in the records. Now what is the option before the Trust? There were some difficulties but I would say that it would have been better if it had been more transparent at that time. Now this is the second warning. That is final. Care was not taken in purchasing land. The procurement process should have been more transparent.
Everyone’s responsibility regarding donation fixed
He said that everyone has fixed responsibilities regarding donation. What is the responsibility of the bank? It is also written what is the responsibility of the trust. So much so that the people involved in counting donations do not have pockets in their clothes.
What did you say on the agreement with Mint?
TV9’s question – Security and Mint Corporation had to play a role regarding precious metals (gold, silver etc.)… On this, Nripendra Mishra said that it is under the control of the Finance Ministry. Mint works in many places. Mint has the complete responsibility of Tirupati. They are the ones who receive precious metals. They are the ones who verify it. Then they pack it and take it to Hyderabad, then melt it and give it to you in the way you want. There is even this system that can give its value. This agreement is going on. This arrangement was also proposed for Ram temple along with Mint. Mint officials came here three years ago and after seeing it, gave the draft of the agreement. Now I don’t know why this proposal was not made.
When there is no monitoring there will be chaos
On the questions being raised regarding the investigation of the case and the FIR, he said that the SIT investigation is still going on. When there is no monitoring there will be chaos. There are many types of such works which can generate revenue. Many things are auctioned. The clothes that God wears can be auctioned. Where are they now and why are they not being auctioned, I don’t know.
Why is FIR not being filed?
I am not inside the system. As of today, there are 30 people who look after the work of adorning the Lord, whenever I asked the priests there if everything is fine, they said that everything is fine. The question is arising that when so much is coming to light then why is FIR not being filed? On this he said that devotees also want to know the answer. In my opinion, if the Trust had filed an FIR after receiving the information on the very first day, it would have been incomplete. The question also arises whether it will be someone’s name or unknown.
He said, those who were doing preliminary information about him at that time, thought that we should request the state government to form a SIT. It would have taken three months just to start the judicial inquiry. The advantage here is that after the investigation report comes, it can be converted into FIR. This is not a departure from the process. When an FIR is filed, the police of the police station investigates. There are senior officers involved in the investigation that is currently going on. Questions can be asked, it is natural. People can say that they can file FIR directly. If they had done so, there would have been a supplementary FIR.
Is distance being kept from Champat Rai?
When the Chief Minister reaches Ayodhya, not Champat Rai but his representative will be present, will he be under investigation and hence distance is being kept from him? On this Nripendra Mishra said that it is not so, Champat Rai is a little unwell. I have seen them. He will welcome the Chief Minister in every situation. I have not talked to him. It would not at all happen that they should be kept away because of any fault. Why would he be kept away? On the statements of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, he said that I will not comment. He is very respectful and loyal. I must say that perhaps he might have said this for the sake of money rather than keeping any person in mind.
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