Ram Temple CEO appointment: Congress questions ex-IAF officer Jeetendra Mishra's role
Synopsis
Congress has taken direct aim at the appointment of retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra — linked to Operation Sindoor — as the first CEO of the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust, demanding a seer be appointed instead and alleging the move deepens public doubts about the temple's management. The BJP's counter-charge of an 'anti-Army' mindset has turned a religious governance question into a full-blown political flashpoint.
Key Takeaways
Air Marshal (Retd) Jeetendra Mishra has been appointed the first CEO of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust .
The Congress criticised the appointment on 3 September , arguing a saint or seer should have been chosen instead.
Congress leader Rashid Alvi alleged the appointment raises doubts, citing the unresolved theft-of-offerings investigation at the Ram Temple .
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari accused Congress of an 'anti-Army' mindset; BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi called Congress's remarks indicative of a 'Dimagi Naxal' mindset.
Congress MP Nana Patole questioned whether the appointment would enable further misappropriation of temple donations.
The Indian National Congress on Thursday, 3 September sharply criticised the appointment of Air Marshal (Retd) Jeetendra Mishra as the first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, arguing that a religious figure — not a retired military officer — should have been chosen for the post. The opposition party warned that the decision 'will raise doubts' among devotees and the wider public.
What Congress Said
Congress leader Rashid Alvi said the appointment was inappropriate given the unresolved controversy surrounding alleged theft of offerings at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. 'The faiths of crores of people are being played with; investigation into the theft of offerings have not been completed. Everyone knows who helped whom to carry out the robbery. This could not have been possible without the members of the Trust... it is wrong to appoint a military officer as the CEO of Ram Temple,' he said.
Alvi further alleged a pattern of the Centre rewarding those associated with sensitive decisions. 'The Ram Mandir verdict came from the Supreme Court. Among those judges, you made one a Governor and another a Rajya Sabha member. Doubts arose in people's minds. You made the Air Force officer who conducted Operation Sindoor, the CEO of the Ram Mandir. Won't people think that the Union government is trying to hide some truth?' he said.
Other Congress Leaders Weigh In
Congress MP Imran Masood echoed the view, insisting the role belonged to saints and seers. 'This work was meant to be done by the saints and seers. Could they not find an honest saint or seer? Theft happened only because the work was taken away from them,' he said.
Congress MP Nana Patole went further, asking: 'Is a new system being made to again steal offerings and donations at the temple?' Congress leader Harish Rawat questioned the Trust's representative character, saying, 'This Temple Trust belongs to a specific organisation while Lord Ram belongs to everyone. The all-encompassing, omnipresent nature of Lord Ram is not reflected in this Trust and neither the Sanatan Dharma is reflected in it.'
BJP Hits Back
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) responded sharply. Party national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari accused Congress of harbouring an 'anti-Army' mindset, drawing a link to the party's criticism following Operation Sindoor. 'I am surprised to see how both Congress and Pakistan have been deprived of sleep ever since India delivered a befitting response to Pakistani terrorism through 'Operation Sindoor', particularly, since the time, our soldiers and forces struck deep inside Pakistani territory,' Bhandari said at a press conference.
BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi also hit back at Alvi's 'hidden truth' remark, saying it had exposed what he called the 'Dimagi Naxal' mindset of the Congress party.
Background and What's Next
Air Marshal (Retd) Jeetendra Mishra is notably associated with Operation Sindoor, India's recent military strikes against targets in Pakistani territory. His appointment as the Trust's first CEO marks a significant institutional step for the Ram Janmabhoomi complex, which has been at the centre of India's most consequential legal and cultural battles for decades. The controversy over his appointment is unlikely to recede quickly, given the charged political climate around both the temple and the military operation. How the Trust responds to Congress's demands — particularly on the unresolved offerings-theft inquiry — will be closely watched.
Point of View
And the unresolved theft inquiry. The BJP's pivot to 'anti-Army' framing sidesteps both. What is missing from this debate is any substantive defence of why professional management, rather than traditional custodianship, better serves the Trust's long-term institutional needs — a question that will outlast the current political noise.
NationPress
4 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has been appointed CEO of the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust?
Air Marshal (Retd) Jeetendra Mishra has been appointed the first Chief Executive Officer of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. He is a retired Indian Air Force officer associated with Operation Sindoor.
Why is Congress opposing Jeetendra Mishra's appointment?
Congress argues that a saint or seer, not a retired military officer, should lead the Ram Temple Trust. Party leaders have also cited an unresolved investigation into alleged theft of temple offerings as a reason to question the appointment's timing and intent.
What has the BJP said in response to Congress's criticism?
BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari accused Congress of having an 'anti-Army' mindset, linking the party's criticism to its earlier stance on Operation Sindoor. BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi separately called Congress's remarks a sign of a 'Dimagi Naxal' mindset.
What is the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust?
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is the body set up by the Centre to oversee the construction and management of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, following the Supreme Court's landmark verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi title dispute.
What did Congress leader Harish Rawat say about the Trust?
Harish Rawat said the Trust belongs to a specific organisation rather than reflecting the universal nature of Lord Ram, arguing that neither the all-encompassing spirit of Ram nor Sanatan Dharma is adequately represented in the Trust's current structure.
