Ram Mandir Trust Appoints Ex-Air Marshal Jitendra Mishra as CEO; Congress Raises Questions

The Ram Mandir Trust has appointed retired Air Marshal Jitender Mishra as its first Chief Executive Officer. Mishra, a decorated Air Force veteran associated with Operation Sindoor, expressed gratitude following his appointment. However, the administrative decision triggered a political confrontation between the opposition and the BJP. Opposition parties, including Congress, Samajwadi Party, and IUML, questioned the move, linking it to the alleged donation theft controversy and raising concerns over the appointment. The BJP defended the decision, accusing the opposition of targeting a celebrated defense veteran. Mishra faces the responsibility of restoring devotees' faith in the trust ahead of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

Plans have been announced to set up an Olympic city and a dedicated motorsport city in Chennai. The proposed Olympic city will feature world-class sports arenas, modern sporting equipment, and a high-performance training centre designed to support athletes and produce Olympians. The motorsport city is planned to host racing events up to Formula One standards and attract major racing and car manufacturing firms. Meanwhile, a political dispute has emerged between the ruling dispensation and the opposition over the track record of sports infrastructure development in the state, with both sides citing past and present projects.

The opposition has questioned the central government regarding the recently released gross domestic product growth figures, citing concerns over revisions in economic estimates. Raising questions over calculation methodologies, the opposition demanded transparency regarding the substantial downward revisions across four years, which reduced the estimated economic size by forty-three lakh crore rupees. Further queries were raised on the consultation process, adoption of components in the new framework, and the deflation method applied to calculate real growth numbers.

The Bombay High Court has transferred the Disha case investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation following observations regarding the need for further inquiry or technical aspects in the initial report. Meanwhile, concerns were raised regarding an assault during Ganeshotsav in Pune, where police have arrested the accused. It was emphasized that physical attacks over expressing personal opinions are inappropriate and that the festival should retain its traditional character.