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The political row comes after the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust appointed retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra as its new CEO.
(From left) Akhilesh Yadav, new Ram Mandir CEO Jeetendra Mishra, and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel.
The appointment of retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra as the new CEO of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has triggered a political controversy, with the Congress and Samajwadi Party questioning the choice and demanding answers over the alleged irregularities in Ram Temple donations.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav was among the first to target the appointment, questioning the process of selection and linking it to the unresolved allegations surrounding the temple trust.
“It was these very people who made the appointments. They might claim to be impartial, but it is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that is making the selections. And if the bigwigs were given a clean chit, why aren’t their subordinates—those who served them—being given one too?” he asked, referring to the allegations of donation theft at the temple.
Yadav added: “Nothing that has transpired is hidden from Lord Shri Ram. There has been theft of donations and a mockery made of faith. The truth is that even beggars outside a temple would never steal the offerings. Yet here, just imagine, a massive theft has been committed against God Himself.”
Congress leaders too questioned the appointment of Mishra, with party leader Udit Raj taking a swipe at the succession from Champat Rai to the retired Air Marshal.
“One Mishra has gone and another Mishra has come. This is an administrative post, not a priest’s post. Is it necessary that someone from the same caste should always succeed?” Raj asked, seemingly taking a dig at ex-trustee Anil Mishra.
Congress MP Imran Masood questioned Mishra’s religious credentials and his suitability for the position. “Did Pandit-ji even perform religious rituals earlier? That is the work of saints and seers. The Air Marshal has flown aircraft. He could fly planes, but now he has got caught in the clutches of these RSS people.”
Congress leader Ajay Rai, meanwhile, directly linked the new appointment to the allegations of financial wrongdoing at the temple trust and asked whether the new CEO would act against those accused of misappropriating donations.
“Will the Air Marshal take action against those who stole the money and send them to jail? The people of the country and the state want to know when action will be taken against those who consumed the offerings made to Lord Ram,” he said.
Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel also questioned the rationale behind bringing a retired armed forces officer into the top administrative position. “Appointing a retired Army officer as the CEO shows that the government no longer trusts its own people—the BJP, RSS or VHP.”
The controversy has also spread beyond the Congress and SP, with Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) MP Haris Beeran questioning the appointment of a retired Air Force officer to the key position.
Beeran argued that the appointment itself raises questions, alleging that the government already has its own people across the bureaucracy, armed forces and judiciary. “A retired Air Force man being appointed itself is a questionable thing because the government has their own people everywhere—whether it is in bureaucracy or in armed forces or in judiciary. A retired person coming in and holding a very important position like the CEO of the Ram Mandir Trust raises questions.”
But the IUML MP’s sharper criticism was directed at what he described as the unresolved “Chanda Chori” issue.
“But the real issue here is what happened to ‘Chanda Chori’. Millions of Ram devotees are hurt by what happened over there… We all knew that Champat Rai was directly involved in Ram Temple theft. But there is no investigation involving him… Nothing has been done by the government. So, to distract the Ram devotees from this, they have a new CEO and a set of board members.”
Who Is Jeetendra Mishra?
The political row came after the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust appointed retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra as its new CEO.
Mishra, a former Indian Air Force officer, has taken over a key administrative role at the Ram Temple trust at a time when the temple complex is expanding and the trust is managing a range of construction, security, infrastructure and visitor-related responsibilities. His appointment also comes as the trust undergoes changes in its administrative structure.
The decision has therefore opened a fresh political battle, with opposition parties questioning both the choice of a retired armed forces officer and the wider process through which appointments to the temple trust are being made.
At the heart of the political criticism, however, is the opposition’s demand for greater clarity over allegations surrounding temple donations. While the new CEO’s supporters see his military and administrative experience as an asset for managing an increasingly complex institution, the opposition has sought to turn his appointment into a larger question about accountability at the Ram Temple trust.
Quick Answers
Ask News18The Ram Mandir Trust is changing its administration by appointing retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra as its first full-time Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The new CEO will take over key administrative duties, including overseeing the temple’s day-to-day operations, finances, pilgrim facilities, human resources, and coordinating with government agencies. Additionally, the Trust is expanding its management structure by appointing three new trustees: Madan Mohan Pandey, Mahesh Bhagchandka, and Nirmala Yadav.
Ask News18About the Author
Apoorva Misra is an Associate Editor at News18.com with a keen interest in politics and current affairs. She loves uncovering fresh angles and telling stories through long-form features and explainers…Read More
Ayodhya, India, India
September 03, 2026, 08:11 IST
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