AYODHYA: The alleged theft of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Temple has triggered a blame game within the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. Breaking his silence on the matter, Trust member Mahant Dinendra Das Maharaj leveled serious allegations against the temple’s assistant administrator, Gopal Rao, holding him responsible for the entire controversy.
“The entire fault lies with Gopal Rao. He is playing politics and entangles everyone in complications,” Mahant Dinendra Das said. He further alleged that Rao does not follow the traditions of Lord Ram, adding that while trustees from Uttar Pradesh adhere to these traditions, Rao deviates from them and creates a political atmosphere within the temple administration.
The internal rift surfaced on a day of major protests in Ayodhya. At around 11:45 AM, more than 500 lawyers took to the streets, raising slogans and demanding the registration of an FIR against Trust officials Champat Rai, Anil Mishra, and Gopal Rao.
Led by Faizabad Bar Association President Kalka Prasad Mishra, the protesting advocates marched toward the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi police station but were stopped by the police near the Civil Lines outpost. The lawyers subsequently submitted a formal complaint at the outpost against four individuals, including Rai, Mishra, and Rao.
Faizabad Bar Association Secretary Shailendra Kumar Jaiswal confirmed that they have received an acknowledgment of their complaint from the police. Jaiswal warned that if the police fail to register an FIR in the alleged donation theft case, the bar association will approach the High Court and the Supreme Court.
The police are currently investigating the matter based on the complaint received.
