Not Ousted from Ram Temple Trust, Only Stepping Away Temporarily: Gopal Rao

Ayodhya (UP): Gopal Nagarakatte alias Gopal Rao, who was a special invitee member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, on Wednesday claimed that he has not been removed from the Trust and was only asked to stay away from its meetings for some time. He also asserted that all allegations against him, except those related to the alleged donation theft, were false. Speaking to reporters for the first time since the recent meeting of the temple Trust, Rao said, “The Trust has some invited members. After this controversy began, two people resigned on moral grounds. Their resignations were accepted. Everyone then decided that I should not attend the Trust’s proceedings for a few days. I will cooperate with the new arrangement. Once the new team takes charge, I will step aside,” he said. Rao added that the temple’s affairs were functioning smoothly and appealed to people not to pay heed to rumours. He asserted that the gold, silver and other donations made to the temple were safe, and anyone wishing to verify this could do so. He added that action against the eight arrested accused in the alleged donation theft case was the responsibility of the police, not the Trust. Rao’s remarks came a day after the Ram temple Trust said former general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra had ceased to be members after their resignations were accepted at the Trust’s meeting on Monday. Treasurer Govind Dev Giri had said that the Trust has decided to remove Rao as an administrator and from the list of specially invited members. Meanwhile, temple sources said Rao on Wednesday vacated his accommodation in the temple complex and shifted to Karsevak Puram. He also surrendered the vehicle pass issued to him for unrestricted entry into the temple complex and met Treasurer Giri during the day. Eight people have been arrested in connection with the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple, while a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government is separately probing the case. According to the SIT’s preliminary findings, investigators have identified nearly 70 suspected instances of theft over a 40-day period and are examining the role of the accused as well as alleged procedural and security lapses in the temple’s donation-counting system.