Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has criticised the recent restructuring of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party is effectively deciding the appointments made to the body.

His remarks came after the Trust appointed three new members and named retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra as its first Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Mishra, who previously headed the Indian Air Force’s Western Air Command during Operation Sindoor, is expected to oversee the temple’s management and financial affairs.

Yadav questioned the process of selecting the new officials, saying that while the appointments may be presented as impartial, the BJP was behind the selections.

He also raised questions about the clean chit given to Trust general secretary Champat Rai in the donation theft case. Yadav asked why those who worked under officials who received a clean chit were not similarly cleared.

Ram Temple Trust appoints three new members

The Trust has inducted Madan Mohan Pandey from Ayodhya, Mahesh Bhagchandka from Delhi and Nirmala Yadav from Shikohabad as new members.

The changes followed the arrest of several people in connection with the alleged theft of donations and the resignation of some Trust officials.

Eight people linked to the donation theft have been arrested, with some reportedly caught on camera during the alleged acts. Champat Rai’s driver was among those arrested. Rai later received a clean chit from the Special Investigation Team probing the case.

Opposition questions CEO appointment

Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee chief Ajay Rai also criticised the decision to appoint a CEO. He said there was no need for such a position and argued that a religious scholar should instead be appointed, with the selection made by religious leaders, Shankaracharyas, saints and seers.

The latest appointments and administrative changes have therefore triggered renewed political debate over the management of the Ram Temple Trust and the handling of its finances.

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has defended India’s 7.8 per cent GDP growth recorded in the April-June 2026 quarter, hitting out at those questioning the credibility of the latest economic data.

Speaking at the annual session of the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA) in Delhi on Wednesday, Mr Goyal said critics were comparing figures from different GDP series and accused them of misleading the public.

The minister said the base year had changed and argued that comparisons should be made using the same series.

Piyush Goyal Targets GDP Critics

Without naming them directly, Mr Goyal appeared to refer to former finance secretary Subhash Chandra Garg and former Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan, both of whom have raised questions about the latest growth figures.

Mr Goyal said ministers do not manufacture GDP data and maintained that the figures reflected the truth. He also criticised what he described as a negative approach towards India’s economic performance.

He further took a swipe at critics questioning why strong economic growth had not translated into more jobs, saying they were “the only jobless people left” and suggesting that appearing on television panels was the only job they were pursuing.

Raghuram Rajan Questions Growth And Jobs

Former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan has expressed doubts over whether the latest growth numbers accurately reflect the state of the economy.

Rajan questioned whether the reported growth was real and pointed to what he described as discrepancies that needed attention. He also raised concerns about employment and investment.

He asked why, if the economy was growing at such a rapid pace, India was not generating more jobs, particularly better-quality jobs, and why investment was not picking up.

Subhash Chandra Garg Raises Base-Year Concerns

Former finance secretary Subhash Chandra Garg also questioned the headline 7.8 per cent growth figure.

Garg said the figure appeared impressive but needed to be examined in greater detail. He pointed to a revision in the previous year’s current-price GDP, saying it had been revised from Rs 86 trillion to Rs 80 trillion.

According to Garg, without that revision, growth in current prices would have been only 2.6 per cent.

The debate comes after India recorded 7.8 per cent GDP growth in the April-June quarter, with questions being raised over the methodology, revisions and the relationship between headline growth and job creation.

The United States has begun strikes against Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran, following what the US military described as attempted attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and American service members deployed in the Middle East.

US Central Command said US forces began the strikes at 12 pm ET on Tuesday, which was 9:30 pm IST. The announcement came as tensions continued to rise between Washington and Tehran.

Iranian state media, meanwhile, reported that four projectiles hit areas in the Chabahar and Konarak counties, east of the Strait of Hormuz. No information about damage from those projectiles was specified.

Iran warns of retaliation

IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebi warned that Washington would regret the latest attacks and said severe punishment awaited the aggressors.

The Strait of Hormuz remains closed, while the US continues its counter naval blockade of Iranian ports, according to the report.

The latest US strikes followed an earlier attack on Iran’s Larak Island on Sunday. The US said it targeted Iranian rocket launchers there to prevent Iran from planting further mines in the shipping lane.

Iran subsequently launched missiles at US bases in Jordan, which were intercepted. The United Arab Emirates also said it had stopped an Iranian drone over its waters.

Trump warns of ‘biggest attack’

US President Donald Trump warned Iran against retaliating for the latest strikes.

Trump said Iran would face attacks at a “much harder and higher” level if it responded, adding that the latest action would not be the biggest attack planned by the US.

Trump had earlier said that US and Israeli bombardment had left Iran’s leadership dead, its military devastated and its economy in ruins. He nevertheless indicated that further strikes could be carried out.

US weighs economic pressure on Iran

The renewed fighting comes after Trump had shifted attention last month towards economic pressure on Iran.

The US president had announced an “economic D-Day” strategy involving sanctions against Iran, with his administration arguing that targeting the country’s economy could push Tehran towards a breaking point.

At the same time, the report noted concerns over diminishing US stockpiles of advanced weapons and the domestic political impact of the war ahead of the November midterm elections.