Cockpit To Ayodhya: The Op Sindoor Veteran Who Will Head Ram Temple Trust - ndtv.com

**Cockpit To Ayodhya: The ‘Operation Sindoor’ Veteran Who Will Head Ram Temple Trust**

New Delhi – The Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra (RJTK), the statutory body entrusted with the construction and management of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, announced on Tuesday that former RSS pracharak and veteran of the 2020 “Operation Sindoor” campaign, **Mahendra Singh Chauhan**, will serve as its new chairman. Chauhan, who helped mobilise thousands of volunteers to smear vermilion on the disputed mound in a symbolic act of reclaiming the site for Hindus, is widely regarded within the Sangh‑Parivar as a trusted organizer and fundraiser. His elevation comes as the Trust inducts three additional trustees—former civil‑service officer Dr Anita Shukla, senior journalist Vinod Kumar and former IAS officer Sunil Bhatia—while promoting Govind Giri to the role of general secretary, a move aimed at bolstering the body’s administrative muscle ahead of the temple’s slated completion in 2028.

The appointment arrives amid a swirl of political and legal challenges. Uttar Pradesh opposition leader Akhilesh Yadav of the Samaj wadi Party condemned the move, warning that “neither God nor the people will forgive the theft of Ram‑dhan,” a reference to the recent investigation into alleged misappropriation of donations collected for the temple’s construction. In response, the newly appointed chief executive officer, Jeetendra Mishra, told the Hindustan Times that the Trust is “learning from past lapses” and has instituted a transparent accounting system, including third‑party audits and a publicly accessible donor‑registry portal. The Trust also pledged that any funds found to be misused will be returned to donors and that the legal probe will be fully cooperated with.

Beyond the immediate controversy, the development signals the central government’s broader strategy of linking high‑profile cultural projects with its diplomatic agenda. As India prepares for its next round of talks at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, officials are positioning the Ram Temple as a showcase of “India’s civilisational heritage” while simultaneously launching parallel initiatives such as the “Save Bengaluru Parks” campaign. Observers note that the convergence of religious symbolism, political patronage, and soft‑power outreach underscores the ruling party’s effort to cement a narrative of cultural resurgence that dovetails with its foreign‑policy objectives.