Steps are being taken to bring about a complete transformational change in Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. New trustees will be inducted and the trust deed will be amended to add provision for appointing a CEO.
The three-member committee headed by retired judge Pradeep Kohli will shortlist the names for the post of CEO. Responsibilities will be fixed for chairperson, general secretary, treasurer and all trustees in the new deed. It is being drafted by K. Parasaran, the noted Supreme Court advocate who fought the Ram Janmabhoomi case. He is himself the founder trustee.
Amendment of deed, appointment of a CEO and several other key issues will be discussed at the July 22 meeting of the trust. 200 kg of silver bricks donated by Vishwa Sindhi Seva Sangam to Champat Rai on January 26, 2021, have now been accounted for. Raju Manwani, the international president of the Samaj had expressed apprehension about the bricks.
Trust treasurer has told Manwani that 200 silver bricks of 1 kg each have been melted by Minting Corporation of India in Hyderabad into bricks of 20 kg each. These have been deposited in the SBI locker in Ayodhya. The management of Ram Mandir now appears to be on track. Donation money will be deposited on rotational basis in public sector banks instead of the local SBI branch only.
A new CEO will take over, strict vigilance will be maintained and donation money stolen are being seized from the pilferers. Their ill-gotten properties will also be confiscated. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is raising the Ram Mandir issue in each of his rallies. He wants to prevent the opposition from making it an election issue next year.
Is Mayawati losing her ground?
Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati came out with a statement after a long gap. In her statement she said, some Dalit leaders are shedding crocodile tears in order to garner votes but they are actually enemies of Dalits. She was indirectly referring to Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, the MP from Nagina, UP.
Mayawati said, these leaders do not do anything worthwhile for the Dalits and vanish after embroiling poor Dalits in legal cases. The issue relates to the murder of Dalit girl Lalita Gautam. Meerut SSP had ordered action against Bhim Army supporters who were staging a protest.
On Friday, Azad went to Meerut to meet the victim’s family. He was prevented from entering the city by police, but after two hours, he was allowed to meet the family members. Chandrashekhar Azad said, if Mayawati had an iota of sympathy for Dalits, she should have gone to Meerut to meet the victim’s family instead of issuing a statement from her home. The murder of Lalita Gauram deserves to be condemned.
Naturally, political leaders are out doing politics over this issue. Mayawati feels she is losing her grip over Dalit voters. She criticized Chandrashekhar Azad, but her problem is that she is rarely seen among the public and is content issuing written statements only. Instead of staging protests, Mayawati is telling Dalits not to come out on the streets and take law into their hands. Other Dalit leaders are trying to take advantage of this situation, but Mayawati is unwilling to change.
Will Sharad Pawar join NDA?
A five-minute meeting between Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde in his Mantralaya chamber sparked speculations in state politics about Pawar’s next move. Shiv Sena and Congress leaders who are in alliance with Sharad Pawar’s NCP are tense. There are speculations that Pawar may cross over to NDA. BJP leaders described Sharad Pawar as the tallest, seniormost and most venerated leader of Maharashtra. They said, if Pawar decides to join NDA, he is welcome.
Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena said, Sharad Pawar knows the pulse of the people and if he joins Mahayuti alliance , there is nothing to be surprised about. Uddhav Thakeray’s Shiv Sena is up in arms. Party leader Sanjay Raut said, “Pawar could have met Shinde anywhere else. There was no need to meet him in his official chamber. By doing so, Sharad Pawar is losing his credibility”, he said.
Eknath Shinde said, if anybody visits your home or office, he should be welcomed. “This is part of Maharashtrian culture. Since a senior leader like Sharad Pawar had come to meet him, he did what was necessary”, he added. Sharad Pawar has friends in every political party. He has relationships in most places. It should not be made an issue as to where he goes and whom he meets. But Uddhav Sena has problems when Eknath Shinde’s name crops up.
Uddhav’s leaders did not even think that Sharad Pawar is the seniormost and most experienced political leader of Maharashtra. His administrative capability and his grip on politics are unmatched. I knew how once Pawar Saheb lost the race to become the Prime Minister. The chair was ready for him, but he missed. This is the first time I am being told that Pawar missed becoming the Rashtrapati.
Should food adulterators be hanged?
This news should make everyone sit up and read. Normally, customers in India munch green fennel seeds (saunf) after having their meals in dhabas and restaurants. The ‘saunf’ that you eat may be harmful and adulterated. Nearly 26,000 kilograms of adulterated ‘saunf’ was seized from Unjha in Gujarat’s Mehsana district from a factory. The ‘saunf’ looked fresh and green, but they were actually painted with harmful green colour.
During a raid conducted by food safety department at the factory, it was found that this adulterated ‘saunf’ was being sent for sale throughout the country. Even the bags in which they were stuffed appeared green in colour. The fennel seeds had developed molds and were infested with worms. The factory owner was using green colour used for clothes to give the fennel seeds a fresh look.
A few days ago, food safety department raided more than 100 hotels and restaurants. Not one of them was found to be using ‘paneer’ made from milk. We often read reports about vegetables being coloured and sold in markets. This is a case for worry. There are many countries in the world which give capital punishment to food adulterators. The same law must be applied in India.