Champat Rai’s purported letter alleges PM Modi’s ex-advisor’s role in temple affairs, igniting fresh row

A nine-page letter purportedly written by the ex-general secretary of the Ram Mandir Trust in Ayodhya, Champat Rai, creates a new crisis within the VHP and BJP as the letter has levelled certain allegations against Nripendra Misra, the ex-adviser to PM Narendra Modi who headed the Trust’s construction committee, including allegations about the dominant role Misra played in decision-making over the temple’s construction and key administrative matters.

As reported by The Wire, which admitted that it had not independently verified whether it was written by Rai but cited Rai’s confirmation to The Hindustan Times, the letter, which begins with ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and is titled Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir sambandhi jananne yogya kuch baatein (‘Some facts worth knowing about the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir’), was neither written on an official letterhead nor did it bear Rai’s signature.

Rai’s letter is significant given the juncture at which the probe into the embezzlement of temple donations has reached, particularly following his resignation in June, citing ‘moral grounds’ after the arrest of eight persons employed as counting staff by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in connection with the heist.

The letter claimed that Misra held a considerable upper hand in the decision-making over the temple’s affairs, including the construction, for which Larsen & Toubro (L&T) was selected as the principal construction company and Tata Consulting Engineers was brought in as the project management consultant.

The letter, however, clearly provides that deep-rooted differences existed between Rai and Misra in matters related to the temple, which led Rai to question the selection of Design Associates, a Noida-based architectural and planning firm, for buildings and infrastructure beyond the main temple.

The company’s website identifies the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust as the client for its Ayodhya master-planning project and puts the project cost at more than Rs 1,000 crore.

In connection with matters related to administration and the dissent that Rai voiced, the letter noted that this included the composition of the construction committee, alleging that Misra brought in individuals of his choice, particularly naming Anoop Mittal, a former chairman of the National Buildings Construction Corporation, as one of those involved in monthly meetings and key decisions.

Meanwhile, a statement from Misra rejecting both the letter and the allegations levelled against him came out, questioning the authenticity of the letter while terming it fabricated; he claimed he had not received or seen it, and accused the unnamed individuals of attempting to manufacture controversy and create the impression of divisions within the Trust.

In another letter of 21 pages, which is circulated in the name of Rai, however, it does not contain any specific allegations but narrates a historical account of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, including the 1989 Ram Shila Pujan campaign.

The timing of the apparent appearance of the letter is crucial since the Trust is likely to convene on 3 September, when the appointment of its first chief executive officer is expected to be considered, as the appointment would be an important step towards creating a more formal administrative structure following the donation-theft case.

Meanwhile, sections within the Trust and among seers in Ayodhya have revived discussions about Rai’s possible return. Supporters argue that the SIT report submitted to the Trust did not directly implicate him.