NEW DELHI — The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) reiterated its opposition on Tuesday to any government takeover of the Ayodhya Ram temple, while stating it would not object to the appointment of a professional chief executive officer (CEO) for the shrine’s managing body, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, provided the appointee is not a serving bureaucrat and remains accountable to the Trust.
The VHP’s statement came after recent discussions about the central government’s role in overseeing the temple’s administration. The organization emphasized that its priority is to keep the temple’s governance in the hands of the Trust, which was created by the Supreme Court’s 2019 verdict to manage the site.
“The VHP will not allow any government control over the Ayodhya Ram temple at any cost,” the VHP said in a press release. “We have no objection to appointing a professional CEO, provided the person is not a serving bureaucrat and is accountable to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.”
The VHP’s position reflects broader concerns among Hindu nationalist groups about perceived encroachment by the state into religious affairs. The organization has previously urged the government to respect the autonomy granted to the Trust, which oversees construction, fundraising and day‑to‑day operations of the temple complex.
Analysis: The VHP’s stance underscores a tension between the central government’s desire for oversight and the Trust’s mandate for independent management. By allowing a professional CEO who is not a serving civil servant, the VHP appears to seek a compromise that ensures administrative expertise while preserving the Trust’s autonomy. The condition that the CEO be “accountable to the Trust” suggests the VHP wants to keep decision‑making within the body it views as the legitimate custodian of the shrine, potentially limiting the government’s ability to intervene in financial or operational matters. This could shape future negotiations over the temple’s governance structure, especially as the project moves toward completion.
Sources
– The Hindu, “VHP reiterates opposition to government control over Ayodhya Ram temple,” https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/vhp-reiterates-opposition-to-government-control-over-ayodhya-ram-temple/article71189723.ece
Story synopsis gathered from: The Hindu – National — source
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