In its first meeting, the Ram Temple Trust has appointed Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, the chief of Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas and a key player in the temple agitation, as its first chairperson. Vishva Hindu Parishad vice president Champat Rai has been named the general secretary.
During the meeting held at the resident of veteran lawyer K. Parasaran, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra Trust also appointed Nripendra Mishra, former principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as the chairman of the temple construction committee.
These appointments assume significance as both Das and Rai were not part of the trust announced by the government. This had led to consternation among the VHP and the saints community as the hindutva body was at the forefront of the temple agitation. Das had been active in the temple agitation since the demolition of the mosque and has been associated with the Ram Janambhoomi Nyas set up by VHP in 1993.
Rai has been a vocal office bearer of the VHP and has been taking a strong stance on issues related to hindutva. Both of them were called to the first meeting, which first nominated them to the trust, and then gave them key responsibilities.
As former IAS officer Mishra has been made the in-charge of the construction committee, this would mean that Modi will be directly overseeing the construction activity, and pushing for stricter deadlines. The trust also passed a resolution, thanking PM Modi and his government for playing an active role towards the setting up of temple.
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During the meeting, the committee passed nine resolutions related to the Ram Temple. The temple construction date will be announced soon.
The meeting started with paying tribute to all the people involved in the agitation since 1528, since the building of Babri Masjid at the site of temple in Ayodhya. It said there have been 77 battles since then to free the temple. The resolution said after Jai Prakash Narayan-led agitation in Independent India, the temple agitation has been the biggest movement. It linked the temple agitation with Hindu resurgence, national pride, cultural nationalism, justice, sovereignty.
Among the other appointments, the trust made Govinddas Giri as treasurer of the trust. It appointed V Shankar Aiyar as the chartered accountant. A bank account for the trust will be opened soon.
From the central government side, additional secretary in the ministry of home affairs, Gyanesh Kumar, a 1988 Batch Kerala cadre officer, participated in the meeting. The Uttar Pradesh government was represented by IAs officers Avinash Kumar and Anuj Kumar.
The trust also tasked two members to find suitable place in Ayodhya for setting up of the office for the trust.
