A CEO with professional experience could have prevented this theft: Trust treasurer

Ayodhya: A chief executive officer (CEO) with professional bureaucratic experience could have prevented the alleged theft of devotees’ offerings at the Ram Temple, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri said on Monday, arguing that the absence of institutional oversight and administrative discipline had allowed the embezzlement to go undetected.“All of this happened due to the absence of a CEO. Oversight requires the discipline that professional bureaucrats bring. We did not have that kind of professional supervision in place and this was the result,” Giri said during his interaction with reporters on Tuesday.The remarks came a day after the Trust decided to appoint a CEO and constituted a three-member committee to identify suitable candidates for the post.

Giri said the committee would recommend three names, from which the Trust would make the final selection.He said the decision was aimed at strengthening oversight and ensuring that the temple’s affairs are managed through a more professional administrative framework.While defending former Trust general secretary Champat Rai, who resigned on moral grounds amid the donation theft controversy, Giri acknowledged that there had been lapses in supervision.

“When I say he is innocent, I mean he could not possibly have had any personal involvement in this scandal. I have known him for 32 years and cannot imagine him doing anything like this. We still have no doubts about his integrity,” he said.“However, one has to admit that there was carelessness. After all, such a criminal was employed as a driver. He held the keys and controlled everything,” Giri added, referring to Rai’s aide Tinnu Yadav, who is one of the eight accused and has now been arrested.The Trust treasurer squarely blamed arrested driver Yadav for the alleged pilferage and suggested he may have acted at the behest of others.“I believe the driver executed all of this. I suspect he was connected to outsiders who instigated him and asked him to report back. At times, I feel this was orchestrated by others,” he said.Expressing anguish over the episode, Giri said the alleged theft had deeply embarrassed the Trust.“All this was happening and nobody noticed it. It is a matter of sorrow, anguish and shame for us. We feel ashamed because of it,” he said.