Explained: Why Ram Temple Trust is not in the ambit of RTI Act; OTT censorship norms

7 hours ago

This episode of India Today Explains breaks down some of biggest stories the week, starting with the transparency debate surrounding the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust following the Ayodhya temple donation embezzlement scandal.

Transcript

00:08Hello and welcome, you're watching India Today Explains, I'm Akshita Nandagopal and over the

00:12next half hour I'll break down some of the week's biggest stories for you. With more and more details

00:17emerging on the Ram Mandra loot, we'll decode for you two aspects. First, on why the Ram Temple

00:23Trust is not in the ambit of the RTI Act and second, on what perhaps Ayodhya can learn from

00:29the TTD model. Also on the show, we break down for you what OTT censorship looks like in India

00:35amidst the Sutlej controversy. We also tell you all about the Nidjar killing and the indictment

00:40of the Bishnoi gang. And finally, while there's a raging debate over racism in FIFA, we tell you

00:46all about the now viral X gesture and what it means.

00:55And with the shocking Ayodhya Ram Temple donation theft, a bigger question has emerged. Why is the

01:01body managing the temple shielded from public scrutiny? In June 2026, this allegation surfaced

01:08that devotees' donations and valuables were being systematically embezzled. Police registered at

01:14FIR on June 25th and SIT has been formed by the Uttar Pradesh government. Now, eight people,

01:20including counting staff, were arrested. Police recovered nearly 80 lakh rupees in cash,

01:25along with gold, foreign currency and land documents bought with stolen money. CCTV footage allegedly

01:32showed staff tampering with cameras and then smuggling cash. Taking moral responsibility,

01:37the trust's General Secretary Champath Rai and trustee Dr. Anil Kumar Mishra resigned. The trust has

01:43since accepted their resignations, appointed an interim secretary. And this scandal, for obvious

01:48reasons, has shaken public faith. But the bigger issue is transparency. The Sri Ram Janmubhumi

01:55Teeth Shetra Trust was created after the Supreme Court's 2019 Ayodhya verdict. The centre framed its

02:02governing scheme through a Gazette notification and vested government-acquired land in it. Initially,

02:0912 of its 15 members were nominated by the government. Despite this deep government involvement,

02:15the trust is treated as a private, autonomous body. In June 2025, the Central Information Commission

02:22ruled that it is not a public authority under the RTI Act, which means that even if you file an

02:28RTI,

02:29you can't get details. The government argued, and that was accepted by the CIC, that this trust receives

02:35no government funding and therefore is not under the administrative control of either the centre or

02:40Uttar Pradesh. That exemption has now come under sharp criticism. You've had CPIM MP John Brittas

02:48recently writing to Home Minister Amit Shah, arguing that a body created through government notification

02:53holding public land, collecting crores in public donations, cannot escape accountability.

02:58And so he in that letters questioned why a law is interpreted differently just because the

03:02notification was issued to comply with the Supreme Court order. Some say this legal shield has created

03:08an oversight vacuum. Exactly what may have enabled this current scandal to even be possible.

03:15While the trust insists it's committed to a fair probe, many are demanding full financial

03:20transparency and long-term reforms. Whether the courts will compel greater accountability

03:26or the government will reconsider the trust the RTI status remains an open and urgent question.

03:31Considering public faith in the temple cannot be restored without robust oversight.

03:40For millions of Hindus, the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is far more than just a temple. After nearly 500 years

03:46of struggle, of sacrifice, it stands as one of the most sacred and prestigious places of worship in the

03:52country. And that's precisely why all the allegations of large-scale embezzlement of devotees' donations

03:57have shocked people across the country. The investigation is on, but there's one question

04:03everyone's asking, how could a temple of such national importance have such weak financial safeguards?

04:10This isn't the first time India has witnessed these kinds of controversies involving religious institutions.

04:16But most major temples have well-defined administrative systems and clear lines of accountability.

04:23One model that's now being widely discussed is the Tirumala Tirupati Devastanam, TTD.

04:30Interestingly, while the Ayodhya controversy unfolded, the Tirumala Tirupati Balaji Temple

04:34was moving in the opposite direction. With an annual budget of nearly 5,500 crore rupees,

04:41TTD recently partnered with the Institution of Chartered Accountants of India to strengthen

04:46its accounting and audit framework. The temple already operates on a modern ERP system.

04:51It tracks every rupee from the moment it's donated, right up until it's finally spent.

04:56TTD is managed professionally by an IAS executive officer, supported by joint executive officers,

05:03financial experts and dedicated administrative staff. So every day the temple welcomes between

05:0965,000 to over 1 lakh devotees. And the number is rising even higher during festivals.

05:15Managing such crowds requires efficient systems including queue complexes, barcoded online tickets,

05:21digital monitoring and strict operational protocol. This is what TTD did. Ayodhya followed a very

05:27different path. The Sri Ram Janmubhumi Tirtha Shetra Trust was primarily created to oversee the

05:33construction of the Ram Temple after the Supreme Court's 2019 verdict. Even after the temple's

05:38consecration, when daily footfall rose to nearly 80,000 devotees and crossed 2 lakh on peak days,

05:44the administrative structure remained largely volunteer-driven. Reportedly, cash donations were handled

05:51by 44 third-party staff members through manual counting with reportedly limited oversight from the State Bank of India.

05:59CCTV footage inside donation controlling rooms deleted every 45 days. And naturally, this leads to so many

06:07loopholes which can be exploited and it raises an important question. What if the TTD model were adopted in Ayodhya?

06:14It could begin with appointing a full-time Chief Executive Officer, a CEO with strong administrative experience in Uttar Pradesh.

06:22Automated cash counting systems could replace manual processes. Independent audits could become more frequent,

06:28surveillance systems could be strengthened, and financial management could be separated from the Trust's border responsibilities.

06:34Interestingly, a TTD delegation had already visited Ayodhya in 2024 and submitted a detailed crowd management report.

06:41But the financial and security recommendations were reportedly not fully implemented. A successful example also exists much closer to Ayodhya.

06:50Following major thefts during the 1980s, the Uttar Pradesh government enacted the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Act.

06:58Today, the temple is administered by a board of trustees led by a government-appointed IAS Chief Executive Officer.

07:06So why is temple management in India so different from one place to another, from one place of worship to

07:11another?

07:12The answer lies in history, in tradition.

07:15Temple administration in India generally follows three major models.

07:19Some temples remain under hereditary priest families, others are led by a single mahanth, others are governed collectively by akhadas

07:27or religious trusts.

07:29Smaller temples are often managed by local communities.

07:31Larger temples frequently involve varying degrees of state oversight.

07:35This is also supported by Article 25.2 of the Constitution, which allows the state to regulate the secular and

07:42administrative aspects of these religious institutions while respecting religious practices.

07:48Different states have therefore adopted different governance models.

07:51Tamir Nado, HRNC department manages more than 40,000 temples.

07:56Kerala's Stravankore Devaswambur oversees hundreds of temples across the state.

08:01Vishwa Hindu Parishat law has long argued that temples should be freed from government control.

08:06But the recent Ayodhya controversy has revived another debate.

08:09That professional administration, stronger financial oversight may be equally important for institutions handling massive public donations.

08:17This ultimately highlights what can happen when a sacred institution grows rapidly without upgrading its administrative systems at the same

08:25pace.

08:25India's building these grand temples that inspire millions.

08:29But the challenge is ensuring these institutions are managed with the same devotion.

08:35We're not suggesting that TTT has the perfect model.

08:37It's been rocked by controversy, as are many other temples.

08:40But perhaps the way to go forward is streamline and ensure an executive system is put in place.

08:50Just days after finally reaching audiences, Diljit Dosanjah Sutlej is at the center of yet another controversy.

08:5648 hours after its OTT premiere, the film disappeared from OTT platform C5.

09:02The abrupt takedown has ignited a political and cultural storm, reviving the debate over creative freedom

09:08and also raising fresh questions about censorship in India's rapidly growing OTT industry.

09:14So what are the norms on censorship on OTT?

09:17While content on Indian OTT doesn't need any censor board certification,

09:21it still needs to follow a set of guidelines set by India's Information and Broadcasting Ministry, the INB Ministry.

09:28The larger framework of rules is to allow the makers and the content platforms to do self-censorship

09:33before putting their content out for audience consumption.

09:37Unlike films released in cinemas, OTT movies, web series are not pre-certified by the government before release.

09:43Instead, they operate under a system of self-classification and a government-backed grievance mechanism.

09:50So I'll explain that in greater detail.

09:52The CBFC, which is the Central Board of Film Certification,

09:56it certifies films for theatrical release under the Cinematograph Act of 1952.

10:01It does not certify or censor content released directly on streaming platforms.

10:07So then, how do OTT platforms get censored or regulated?

10:12They are regulated under the Information Technology Rules of 2021, framed under the Information Technology Act of 2000.

10:19These rules require OTT platforms to classify content by age, to display content descriptors like violence, nudity, language,

10:28which you usually see at the top of the film title, provide parental controls for mature content,

10:35and implement age verification for adult content.

10:39So that content classification is a must.

10:42How is it classified?

10:44You have U, which is suitable for all ages.

10:47UA, 7 plus.

10:49Again, self-descriptive.

10:51Then there's universal with adult supervision, 13 plus.

10:54Then there's 16 plus similarly.

10:56And then there's A, adults only, which is the 18 plus category.

11:00There's also a three-tier grievance redressal mechanism.

11:04The 2021 rules created this three-level system.

11:08There's level one.

11:09The publisher, which is the OTT platform, handles complaints.

11:12Level two.

11:13A self-regulatory body headed by a retired judge or eminent person reviews unresolved complaints.

11:19Level three.

11:21Oversight by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

11:23And so advisories, warnings, directions in accordance with the law can be issued.

11:28But can the government order content to be removed?

11:31Yes, which is what's happened with Sutledge 2.

11:34In certain circumstances, the government can direct blocking or removal of content under the provisions of the Information Technology Act

11:41of 2000,

11:42particularly where content threatens national security, public order, sovereignty or foul of other legal restrictions.

11:52Courts can also order removal in appropriate cases.

11:55So finally, is there censorship?

11:58Well, there's no prior censorship of OTT content.

12:01It doesn't need to go through any sort of certification before release, unlike theatrical films.

12:06But OTT platforms will be held accountable.

12:09They remain subject to Indian criminal laws, to court orders, the IT Act and rules that I explained,

12:15to the government blocking powers under applicable law.

12:22The murder of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijar triggered one of the biggest diplomatic crises between India and Canada.

12:30Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged a possible link between Indian agents and the killing.

12:36A charge that India strongly denied.

12:39Now that focus has shifted.

12:40A US federal indictment accuses jailed gangster Laurence Bishnoy and his close aide Goldie Bral of orchestrating Nijar's assassination as

12:50part of a much larger transnational crime network.

12:53Meanwhile, Canadian police say their current organized crime investigation has found no evidence linking the Indian government to the charges

13:01brought under Operation Hardball.

13:03So who is Laurence Bishnoy? Why do you constantly hear about him?

13:07And how did the gangster lodged in an Indian jail allegedly build an international crime syndicate?

13:12Why are investigators in North America treating his network as a global organized crime group?

13:18I'll explain all of that for you.

13:20First of all, Laurence Bishnoy entered the world of organized crime while still a student in Punjab.

13:27Over the years, he's been named in dozens of criminal cases, including murder, attempted murder, extortion and arms offenses.

13:35Although he's largely remained in prison since 2015, investigators allege he continued running his network through smuggled mobile phones and

13:43trusted associates spread across India and overseas.

13:47Investigators say the Bishnoy gang has grown far beyond just being a local extortion racket.

13:53Authorities alleged the network is involved in contract killings, in extortions, drug trafficking, illegal arms supply, in kidnapping, cross-border

14:02organized crime as well.

14:04Officials believe the gang expanded rapidly as older underworld syndicates weakened, creating space for a new criminal network with international

14:12reach.

14:13A key figure in the organization is Satinderjit Singh, better known as Goldie Brown.

14:20Investigators describe him as the alleged overseas operations chief of the Bishnoy gang.

14:26Brown has previously claimed responsibility for the 2022 killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Musevala.

14:31US investigators now allege he coordinated the gang's North American operations while remaining outside India.

14:38Let's come now to the Nidjar case.

14:42Hardeep Singh Nidjar was a Canadian citizen and a prominent Khalistani activist.

14:46India designated him a terrorist under the UAP, alleging links to the Khalistan Tiger force.

14:51On June 18, 2023, Nidjar was shot dead outside of Gurudwara in Surrey of British Columbia.

14:58The killing triggered a diplomatic crisis after Canada alleged a possible connection with Indian agents.

15:05And that was an allegation New Delhi strongly rejected.

15:08And then the US comes in.

15:10What have they alleged?

15:11According to a US federal indictment,

15:14Lawrence Bishnoy and Goldie Brown allegedly ordered Nidjar's assassination.

15:18Prosecutors claim Bishnoy directed the operation from jail while Brown supervised the gang's North American network.

15:24The indictment alleges Bishnoy supplied Nidjar's photograph and addresses to those involved.

15:29These remain allegations.

15:32And I must highlight that it will be tested in court.

15:35I mentioned Operation Hardball earlier.

15:38The Nidjar charges form part of a wider international investigation known as Operation Hardball,

15:43where US, Canadian, European agencies are targeting networks involved allegedly in murder for hire, extortion, racketeering, drug trafficking, kidnapping and

15:54violent organized crime.

15:56Authorities describe it as one of the largest investigations into India linked transnational organized crime.

16:02Now let's talk about India's role.

16:03Canadian police have said that their current organized crime investigation found no evidence linking Indian government officials to the allegations

16:11under Operation Hardball.

16:12That distinguishes the latest criminal case from the diplomatic controversy that began in 2023.

16:18But other aspects of the broader Nidjar investigation remain under separate legal and investigative processes.

16:24Now why does this matter?

16:27The Lawrence Bishnoy case is no longer just about one gangster.

16:30Investigators say it demonstrates how organized crime networks can allegedly coordinate extortion, contract killings and other crimes across continents,

16:38even while key leaders remain behind bars.

16:41For India, for Canada, America, this case has become a major test of international cooperation against transnational organized crime.

16:54A dramatic FIFA match, a furious coach and a simple hand gesture that has become one of the biggest talking

17:01points of the tournament.

17:03During Egypt's Round of 16 clash against Argentina, head coach Hossam Hassan repeatedly crossed his forearms, forming this X while

17:12protesting on the touchline.

17:13Instead of stopping play, referee François Lettaxier booked Hassan with a yellow card.

17:19The incident has sparked a global debate over FIFA's anti-racism protocol and whether the referee should have responded differently.

17:27What does the X gesture mean here? Why did FIFA introduce it?

17:31And under what circumstances can it actually stop a football match? I'll break all of that down for you.

17:36But let's begin by telling you what happened in the Argentina-Egypt match.

17:39Egypt looked set for one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.

17:43They led defending champions Argentina 2-0 with just 11 minutes remaining.

17:48But Argentina staged a stunning comeback to win 3-2 and reach the quarter-finals.

17:53Egypt, however, was furious with several refereeing decisions.

17:57An earlier goal by Mustafa Zico had been ruled out after a VAR review.

18:02And later, Egypt believed that they were denied a penalty moments before Argentina scored the winner.

18:07As tensions boiled over, coach Hassan repeatedly made the X gesture from the technical area while protesting the officiating.

18:16The referee instead cautioned him with a yellow card.

18:19This incident quickly became one of the defining images of the match.

18:24So what does this gesture actually mean?

18:28The X gesture is FIFA's official anti-discrimination signal.

18:32A player, coach or team official crosses both forearms at the wrist to form an X.

18:38It's designed to alert the referee that a player is allegedly being subjected to racist or discriminatory abuse.

18:44Rather than relying on verbal complaints, the gesture provides a universal visual signal.

18:49And it can be recognized instantly anywhere in the world.

18:52So what happens after this kind of a signal is used?

18:56If the referee determines that the signal relates to racist or discriminatory abuse,

19:01FIFA's three steps anti-discrimination protocol can be activated.

19:05What is that?

19:06Step one, the referee temporarily stops the match and issues a public stadium announcement demanding the discriminatory behaviour cease.

19:14Step two, if the abuse continues, the match can be suspended, both teams taken off the field.

19:20Step three, if the situation still doesn't improve, the referee has the authority to abandon the match altogether.

19:26In other words, racist abuse can ultimately lead to a World Cup match being called off.

19:33But what led to the FIFA introducing something like this?

19:37This was actually unveiled by FIFA in 2024, the gesture, as part of its strengthened global anti-racism framework.

19:44The objective was to establish one universal protocol across all FIFA competition.

19:49The initiative also includes stricter disciplinary sanctions, enhanced reporting procedures, education programs and greater protection for players facing discrimination.