New Delhi: Amid the massive nationwide controversy over embezzlement of devotees’ offerings at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, more than half the donation counting employees of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust (SRJTK) have resigned as the authorities have put in place several new rules to monitor donations.
SRJTK’s steps have come after the alleged embezzlement of temple donations came to light earlier this month and a police investigation into the counting process began. Devotees’ offerings were allegedly siphoned off before they were deposited in banks. Eight people associated with the donation counting process have been arrested so far. They include SRJTK staffers involved in counting donations and others handling the offerings.
As per the new donation counting rules, employees will now have to undergo several rounds of frisking before entering the counting area, reports news agency PTI. They are allowed inside the counting centres barefoot and without mobile phones or any personal belongings. These staff are also screened at several security checkpoints on the temple complex whereas identity cards issued to them by SRJTK were sufficient to allow them entry. Four employees have been deployed exclusively to monitor the donation counting process, said sources.
Additional security measures SRJTK plans to introduce include a common uniform for outsourced employees, QR code-enabled identity cards with digital security features, and a digital entry-exit tracking system to record every employee’s movement within the temple premises.
Attendance at the donation counting centre fell soon after the alleged embezzlement case surfaced, said SRJTK sources. Of the nearly 40 personnel earlier working, only around 15 to 20 had been reporting regularly due to fear following the investigation, they said. About 20 employees have resigned, reducing the strength of donation counting personnel to just around a dozen, they added. 