Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 17 (ANI): General Secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, Champat Rai addressed the issue of appointment of a new Chief Priest of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya after the demise of the Acharya Satyendra Das and said addressing anyone as the Chief Priest would be an 'exaggeration' as no one is as learned as Acharya Satyendra Das.

'We had asked Acharya Satyendra Das 6 months ago; there is not be any chief priest now. There is no one of Satyendra Das's age and respect; no one else has been Hanumangarhi's Mahant for so long. He had been serving since 1993. He used to take Rs 100 as his monthly salary. Now, everyone is young and new; no one is as learned as him. Now, addressing anyone as the Chief Priest would be an exaggeration,' Champat Rai said, addressing the media on Sunday.

Earlier on February 12, Acharya Satyendra Das passed away at Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences.

He was admitted to the High Dependency Unit (HDU) of the Neurology ward in SGPGI, Lucknow, in critical condition on February 3 after he suffered a stroke.

His last rites were performed at Saryu Ghat in Ayodhya and he was given Jal Samadhi.

A large crowd of seers and citizens participated in the last journey of the chief priest of the Ayodhya Ram temple.

Following his demise, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his condolences and said that his demise is 'extremely sad' and an 'irreparable loss' to the spiritual world.

'The demise of Acharya Shri Satyendra Kumar Das Ji Maharaj, the supreme devotee of Lord Ram and the chief priest of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, Shri Ayodhya Dham, is extremely sad and an irreparable loss to the spiritual world. Humble tribute!' CM Yogi posted on X. (ANI)