Ram Temple Trust Plans Meeting on July 22, Discusses Champat Rai's Return

Religious leaders and officials of the Ram Temple Trust in Ayodhya gave public statements on July 15 ahead of a scheduled trust meeting on July 22. Mahant Kamal Nayan Das, successor to Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, emphasized that the trust is an independent institution and asserted that disputes related to Mthura‑Kashi are matters belonging to their community.

The upcoming meeting will consider appointing a new chief executive officer, address succession issues for the trust’s head, and may discuss the possible reinstatement of former secretary Champat Rai, who resigned after the chanda‑theft controversy. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has cleared Rai of any criminal conspiracy, though it pointed to supervisory lapses.

The SIT’s final report on the chanda theft is expected to be submitted soon to the Uttar Pradesh government. Trust members also voiced confidence in the Supreme Court’s handling of related disputes concerning Krishna’s birthplace and the Shahi Eidgah, noting that the court’s decisions are awaited with great expectation.