The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which manages the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, on Tuesday began interviews for 18 shortlisted candidates for the post of CEO. The interviews began on Tuesday and continued on Wednesday at the temple complex.
Eighteen candidates were shortlisted from around 5,200 applicants for the position. According to an NDTV report, those interviewed on Tuesday included three former IAS officers, a former IPS officer and four former military officers. The list also includes former senior officials associated with temples in South India.
The interviews are being conducted by a three-member selection committee constituted by the Trust. The panel comprises former Supreme Court judge Justice Pramod Kohli, Lt Gen Vishnukant Chaturvedi (retd) and Suresh Haware. The panel will shortlist three candidates, from whom the Trust will make the final selection.
What Questions Are Being Asked?
While the candidates are being assessed on their administrative and leadership skills, crowd-management experience and vision for the Ram temple, some questions have focused specifically on their religious practices and personal habits.
The interviews, which reportedly lasted 40 to 50 minutes each, included questions about the candidates' faith in Lord Ram and their adherence to Hindu religious practices.
According to sources cited by NDTV, candidates were asked whether they wear a shikha (traditional braid) or janeu (sacred thread), and whether they are pure vegetarians or consume meat.
They were also asked whether they consume alcohol or are teetotalers, and whether they consider themselves "hardline Hindus" or simply believers. Questions were also reportedly asked about whether they dress in accordance with Hindu religious practices.
Here are some of the questions asked to Ram Mandir CEO aspirants:
- Are you a hardline Hindu or simply a believer?
- Do you wear a janeu (sacred thread)?
- Do you consume alcohol or eat meat?
- Do you follow Hindu religious practices in your daily life?
- Can you manage crowds ranging from 20,000 to 5 lakh people?
According to the NDTV report, the Trust is likely to announce the new CEO at its September 2 meeting.
The decision to appoint a full-time CEO came after allegations of embezzlement of Ram temple donations surfaced, leading to increased scrutiny of the Trust's financial management. Eight people have been arrested in connection with the case, while three officials, including the Trust's former general secretary Champat Rai, have stepped down from their positions.
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