SUBRAMANIAN LAXMINARAYAN, Ex-IAS officer and Former Union Home Secretary from Madhya Pradesh, has accused Champat Rai, former general secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerthy Kshetra Trust, of negligence as the 151-Kg gold-plated Ramcharitmanas that he gifted to the Ayodhya Ram Temple has been missing for more than a year. He claims that he never received a receipt for his ₹5-crore gift from the Trust and his repeated queries to inquire about the scripture’s whereabouts have led to no traceable action. 

Narayan recently spoke to the media amid an ongoing probe into the alleged donation theft in Ram Temple. After his story caught public attention, the Trust finally gave a clarification. While denying allegations of theft, Gopal Rao, a special invitee member of the Trust, issued a statement to India Today, saying that the Ramcharitmanas is safe in the Ram Janmabhoomi. The scripture that was once stored in the sanctum sanctorum is now being kept in the Temple’s jewelry ward, according to Rao. However, Laxminarayan’s account of events still poses questions on the Trust management.

₹5-Crore Gift Goes Missing Months After Temple Opening

After the Supreme Court’s 2019 verdict and formation of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust by the centre, the construction of the Ram Temple began with full swing on the sacred land. It was a time for celebration for billions of Hindu devotees around the world who, out of their faith, sent donations and gifts for the construction of the Ram Lalla shrine.

In April 2023, the news of a Ramcharitamanas made of gold, silver, and copper being gifted to the Temple gained spotlight. It was reported at the time that an estimated amount of the scripture was around ₹4.5-5 crore. Retired Madhya Pradesh IAS officer Subramanian Lakshminarayan had donated the scripture on the first day of Chaitra Navratri. He, along with his wife Saraswathy, reportedly spent a major portion of their life savings and even sold their properties for crafting Goswami Tulsidas’s epic.

The scripture was made of 522 copper pages dipped in gold. The epic reportedly weighed 151 Kg and had to be parcelled to Ayodhya in different bundles of 20-25 pages and assembled at the Ram Lalla shrine. The gold Ramcharitmanas was reportedly constructed over eight months with thorough research to maintain perfection and authenticity of the epic in Awadhi. It had 10,902 verses written in golden letters with the book stand made by a Chennai-based jeweler.

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The Trust had placed the gold Ramcharitmanas at the sanctum sanctorum in April 2024, after the place was open to the public. Hindu devotees paying a visit to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir used to also see the gold scripture for months. However, Laxminarayan, who gifted the Ramcharitmanas, said that it was suddenly taken away from the sanctorum without any explanation.

Lakshminarayan Received No Explanation or Receipt of Donation

When the retired IAS reached out to the Trust to know about the whereabouts of his scripture, he was reportedly not given a proper answer. “It was worshipped and viewed every day. I was very happy then suddenly it was taken away,” Lakshminarayan said to NDTV.

He added, “Initially, it was assured that it would be kept near the sanctum sanctorum. Later, it was told that it cannot be kept there and will be kept somewhere else. Ultimately, even those assurances could not be met.” Former IAS officer claimed that Champat Rai had assured him he will give him the receipt and more details about his golden gift to the lord. However, after paying multiple visits to the temple and sending several messages and letters to the Trust he didn’t receive any assurance for months. While speaking to India TV, Lakshminarayan said that Rai finally told him, “Whatever I want, I will do. Do not trouble me again and again.”

While Gopal Rao has now clarified that the Awadhi scripture is safe in the jewelry ward, the question remains that why wasn’t this assurance given to the donor when he reportedly asked for it for months.

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