Ayodhya Mandir Trust: Split wide open among different mahants, Akharas

Mahants and sadhus connected with the Ayodhya Ram temple movement have expressed differing views over the composition of the trust for the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya to be set up by the union government.

President of Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas Mahant Nritya Gopal Das said there is no need for forming a new trust by the government as one trust (Nyas) already exists for the construction of Ram temple.

The Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas is run by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, in a statement, said: "The trust (Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas) already exists, we can give a big shape to it, new members would be added as per need."

Mahant Suresh Das, mahant of Digambar Akhara, who has a long association with the Ram temple movement, said: "The court has very clearly said that the new trust is to be formed and it is the responsibility of the Union government to form the Trust, not of Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, though representatives of Nyas should be in the Trust "

Mahant Dinendra Das the chief of Nirmohi Akhara, whose claim was turned down by the apex court, said the government must take representatives of the Nirmohi Akhara in the trust. "The trust must be formed as per the directions of the Court," Das said, adding, "the court has clearly mentioned that a new trust has to be formed by the government."

Dinendra Das, however, expressed his reservations over joining a government trust. He said: "Our Nirmohi Akhara is also a trust, so our trust members will decide on joining a government trust."

Triloki Nath Pandey, who represented the deity, Lord Rama, in court as "friend of Ram Lalla" and won the title, said: "The trust must be formed by the government and must have members from the government."

He said: "The government should appoint Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, president of VHP's Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas as president of the government's trust."

Pandey said, "The grand Ram temple must be build according to the model that was proposed by VHP and all the carved stones prepared by VHP must be used in the construction of Ram Mandir."

"The government, after forming the trust, must raise the funds for construction from the Hindu community, as it should not pour government money into the fund," said Pandey.