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Nripendra Mishra, chairman of the temple construction committee, said, Ram temple is a global symbol of Sanatan Dharma and deserves world-class management.
Nripendra Mishra, Chairman, Ram Mandir Construction Committee. (ANI)
Hurt by alleged irregularities related to offerings and donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Ram Mandir Nirman Samiti chairman and former principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nripendra Mishra, on Wednesday considered appointing an independent CEO to manage its affairs and said the role of a former IAS officer could be considered to ensure professional and transparent management.
Speaking to CNBC Awaaz Deputy Executive Editor Lakshman Roy, Mishra said that Ram Temple is an international symbol of Sanatan Dharma and hence its management should be better than all other temples.
Edited excerpts from the exclusive interview:
Question: You played a very important role in the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya. Now a controversy has arisen regarding offerings and donations. Did it hurt you?
Nripendra Mishra: It is natural that if any kind of dispute is related to the temple management, then every person who is associated with the temple for work and service will feel sad. Although under the arrangement made by the Supreme Court, the responsibility of the Chairman of the Construction Committee is limited to construction, I was also made an ex-officio member of the Trust. The intention would have been that the Chairman should have access to the support and guidance of the trustees in relation to how the creation is carried out and how the work of the Trust is linked to it. Fortunately, there has been a very clear line of separation over the last five years. During this period my entire focus remained on construction. I have made more than 150 visits to Ayodhya.
My goal was always to see the construction very closely. During construction reviews and various decisions, we will also invite available Trust members to participate when convenient. Trustees can participate as per their convenience, the communication said. That is one aspect. Management is the other aspect. In fact, the management has been functioning for only four years. Four years is not a very long period in the life of such an institution. This is just the beginning. Naturally, there are many challenges. The biggest challenge is to ensure convenience for the devotees and maintain their trust that the temple is being managed as per healthy traditions.
An issue regarding land purchase was first raised about two years ago. At that time this was discussed in the trust meetings. The Trust constituted a three-member committee of regular Trust members to advise on transparent land purchases in future, after which Mr. Champat Rai will execute the purchase. In a way, I would call it a warning – that if we are not transparent, and if we are unable to explain our responsibilities to devotees promptly, sooner or later difficulties will arise.
Within just two years, another case has come to light and it is even more serious than the previous one. An SIT is already investigating and will submit its report within 15 days. Given my years of experience, my role as an ex-officio Trust member and my association with the Construction Committee, I would not like to make any suggestion at this time in relation to the matters being investigated by the SIT. In particular, one question is being widely circulated on social media: Why was the FIR not filed? Since the SIT is investigating this case, it has every right to convert its preliminary investigation into an FIR if it wishes to do so. Therefore, I do not want to give any suggestions at this stage. I don’t want to influence the process.
I also have some other suggestions in mind. I believe that this temple is an international level temple of Sanatan Dharma. We should no longer look at it only through the prism of Ayodhya, eastern Uttar Pradesh or the Bihar belt. At one time, she may have been its primary sphere of influence, like Vaishno Devi for northern India. But now it is not so. Today Ram Temple is an international symbol of Sanatan Dharma. Therefore its management should be better than all other temples.
Question: In your opinion, what kind of changes can be made in the current management system?
Nripendra Mishra: First and foremost, to serve as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) requires an experienced officer who has independence in management as well as overseeing the overall functioning of the Trust. This arrangement should be made immediately without wasting time. Believe me, today the activities of these 71 acres can be compared to a small district. One lakh people come every day. They have different needs. Managing all this is not an easy task. The challenge is very big and both the state government and the central government must take a decision on this matter.
Watch the full interview of Nripendra Mishra here:
Question: Is this suggestion your personal recommendation or have you formally conveyed it to governments and relevant authorities?
Nripendra Mishra: I have not yet presented this suggestion formally anywhere. However, I have definitely raised this point during discussions at various levels. There is already a provision in the bye-laws for a Management Committee, with the General Secretary, Shri Champat Rai, as its Chairman. A chief executive officer may be invited to that management committee. Therefore, there is no mismatch between the articles and the arrangement – or say, the posting of such person.
Question: We understand that your construction committee is limited to Ram Temple only, but are there any plans to redevelop some places of religious importance around it in the future?
Nripendra Mishra: There are two aspects to this. First of all, this is a somewhat sensitive matter. All these temples are managed by different Mahants and religious heads, each with their own traditions and followers. In many cases, hundreds of thousands of disciples are associated with him. Therefore, if the State Government or the Central Government wants to do any management, reconstruction or redevelopment work, it will need their cooperation. The construction committee, which is limited to the Ram temple and was formed under the Supreme Court decision, is limited to only the 71-acre temple complex.
Question: Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently completed the record of being the longest serving elected Prime Minister of India. In your opinion, what qualities of governance did he possess that made this possible?
Nripendra Mishra: There are certainly many qualities, but three qualities set him apart from other leaders of similar stature. The first is his ability as a communicator. There are many excellent communicators in the country, but his communication style is unique, especially when he connects directly with people. It’s not just about the words he uses; It is also about his conduct and mannerisms. This is a very important quality.
The second is his passion for the country. He thinks about almost nothing except development. Believe me, I worked with him for about six years. If I look at it on a day-to-day basis, I don’t remember a single occasion when he discussed anything other than development. It was always about growth, always about the next agenda. And because he is popular among the people, he conveyed the same message to the public as well.
The third thing – and maybe I’m being a little bold in saying this, but it’s been a lot of years since I left that role – is that it’s unpredictable. You can never predetermine what his position will be on a particular proposal. You can be sure that he will listen to all sides, both for and against, but you can never predict where he will ultimately stand. This is especially true when it comes to the selection of development programs. Sometimes politics requires certain decisions. Although he generally does not want to run a heavily subsidy-driven government, if there is a public welfare scheme that he believes should be implemented, even if it is highly popular, he announces it in his own way.
Question: You were with PM Modi during one term and now his third term has started. What difference do you see?
Nripendra Mishra: There is always continuity in administration, especially when the leadership remains the same and the ruling party also remains the same. So naturally there will be some continuity. The challenge with continuity is that if there is no novelty, eventually a fatigue factor develops. What I see now, after reading newspapers and keeping an eye on developments, is that PM Modi constantly tries to bring something new in governance. Since I have experience working with him, I can better understand how he is trying to introduce new ideas and prevent stagnation.
Question: The recent conflict involving Iran has shaken the global economy. India was one of the economies most sensitive to its impact. What lesson should we learn from this?
Nripendra Mishra: The possibility that one, two or three countries could disrupt global affairs and economic stability on such a large scale was perhaps not fully anticipated even by India. For example, India had not fully anticipated the difficulties the Strait of Hormuz would pose. The first lesson is that we must strengthen the resilience of our economy against global challenges. We need to identify specific measures and make them part of our management strategy.
I greatly appreciate the Central Government in this regard. It involved many international controversies and competing interests. India maintains good relations with most countries, but if you move too far in one direction, your relations with the other country may be affected. It constantly tests our sovereignty and strategic independence.
Nevertheless, the government managed to maintain a delicate balance in both economic and political relations, including trade negotiations. I should appreciate the government for this.
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