‘Are you a staunch Hindu, do you eat non-veg food?’ Ram Temple CEO candidates asked to fill Google form

The 18 candidates who were shortlisted from a pool of 5,200 applicants were also asked about their work experience and their families.

“Do you keep shikha (sport a braid)? Do you wear a janeu (sacred thread)? Do you eat non-vegetarian food?”

The CEO will be the highest executive authority of the Trust.

Candidates who were interviewed for the post of first full-time chief executive officer (CEO) of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Tuesday were asked a wide range of questions – from their religious practices and eating and drinking habits to their vision for the Ram Temple, people familiar with the matter said.

The 18 candidates who were shortlisted from a pool of 5,200 applicants were also asked about their work experience and their families, and practices of the Hindu religion, in an exhaustive 34-point Google form that was required to be filled before the interview held in Ayodhya. Besides, the interviewees were asked about their leadership abilities and religious-social engagements, the people cited above said.

The decision to appoint a full-time CEO was taken after the allegations of embezzlement of donations came to light. The allegations have led to scrutiny of the Trust's financial management even as eight accused have been arrested in the case while three officials, including the Trust's former general secretary Champat Rai, stepped down from their posts.

All the 18 candidates earlier faced an online interview. On Tuesday, a face-to-face interview was held for only eight candidates, including four former IAS officers.

“Questions such as do you keep shikha (tuft), do you wear a janeu (sacred thread), are you pure vegetarian or do you eat non-vegetarian food, do you consume alcohol or are you a teetotaller, are you a staunch Hindu, will you be comfortable wearing attire according to the Hindu religion were asked in the Google forms,” one of the persons said, seeking anonymity.

“The other questions were where have you worked, what big crowds have you managed and what is your faith in Lord Ram. They asked the candidates about their families,” the person added.

A second person said the interview of each candidate lasted for around one or two hours. “It sought to test not just the candidate’s administrative skills but also devotion, temperament and vision for the world’s most high-profile temple project,” this person said, also seeking anonymity.

Who are the probable candidates?

The identities of the shortlisted candidates are yet to be made public but according to a third person aware of the details, former IPS officer Rajesh Pandey is among those on the list. He is scheduled to appear for the in-person interview on Wednesday.

Pandey is a former inspector general of Uttar Pradesh Police. Earlier, he served as Lucknow senior superintendent of police and was also the founder-member of the UP Special Task Force. He last served as inspector general of police, Bareilly range. He is also the secretary of Lucknow’s historic Hanuman Mandir in Aliganj, which records massive turnouts of devotees on festive occasions.

Retired IAS officer Yogeshwar Mishra, who served as Faizabad district magistrate from January 7 to March 26, 2016, neither confirmed nor denied reports that he has been shortlisted for the interview. He last served as the divisional commissioner of Gonda division.

Selection panel, process

The selection panel comprises former Supreme Court judge Justice Pramod Kohli, Lt Gen Vishnukant Chaturvedi (retd), and Suresh Haware.

The committee is tasked with shortlisting three names and submitting them to the Trust before September 2. A meeting of the Trust’s executive committee is scheduled to be held on that day.

The Trust will then interview and pick the CEO from among the final three candidates.

The CEO will be the highest executive authority of the Trust. The role mainly centres around managing statutory, financial and administrative functions, building various systems for a temple that sees crores of pilgrims, coordinating security with central and state agencies, and ensuring smooth functioning of rituals and festivals.

A senior Trust member told HT that given the sensitivity of the post, the final selection is likely to be done under the direct supervision of the Centre and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. “The person who sits on the CEO’s chair will be someone both the government and the Sangh are comfortable with,” the member said, requesting anonymity.

Even future appointments in the CEO’s office will likely require approval from the Centre and the RSS, the member added.