Opposition To Fight Modi on Police Brutality and Temple Theft

 New Delhi: The Opposition seems to have launched a double-pronged attack against the Narendra Modi led government in Parliament. The Opposition is now targeting the government on the issue of “police brutality” against student protesters, and also on alleged theft of donations at Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir.

While Congress president and the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, led the charge against the government inside the House demanding home minister Amit Shah attend House proceedings and explain the lathi-charge-pellet gun action on protesting students at Jantar Mantar, Opposition MPs, including AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, staged a protest in the Parliament complex against the alleged donation theft. She also raised her voice against the “police excesses” against student protesters. The Congress maintained its protests “outside Parliament and on the floor of both Houses will continue until the government is held accountable”.

Playing the religious card, the BJP accused the Opposition of insulting Hindu saints and hurting religious sentiments. The ruling party alleged that Opposition leaders, by wearing saffron robes during the protest against the donation theft, made saffron and Hindu seers “objects of ridicule”.

During a protest against the donation theft last Friday, Independent MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav had performed a skit wearing saffron clothes and several Opposition MPs, including Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi were seen putting money into donation boxes. Several prominent seers associated with the Ram Mandir movement and Hindu outfits had attacked the Opposition MPs for insulting the Sanatan Dharma.

On Monday, both Houses witnessed an uproar and slogan-shouting by Opposition MPs demanding Mr Shah’s presence and attack on protesting students at Jantar Mantar. They were also raising slogans against alleged donation theft.

When the Rajya Sabha met at 11 am, LoP Mallikarjun Kharge sought to speak, but the Chairman insisted that Opposition members first stop raising slogans and return to their seats. Although several MPs began returning to their seats, intermittent sloganeering continued, forcing the Chair to adjourn the House till 2 pm. At 2 pm, the House took up the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill 2026, seeking to empower courts to order payment of at least 50 per cent of the awarded amount to MSME suppliers, if the application to set aside an order was pending for more than six months. The bill was later passed.

Similar scenes were witnessed in the Lok Sabha where the House was first adjourned till noon. When it reassembled at noon, two bills were introduced -- Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill 2026 and another bill to increase the number of Supreme Court Judges from 34 to 38. The House was then adjourned till 2 pm. At 2 pm, both bills were taken up and passed.

Earlier, several Opposition MPs, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were seen protesting in front of the Makar Dwar of Parliament with slogans such as “chhanda chor, gaddi chhor” and “Amit Shah sadan mein aao” raised. A donation box was also placed symbolising the alleged donation theft at the Ram Temple. Some MPs were also seen putting cash inside the box .

Besides Ms Vadra, SP’s Dimple Yadav and Dharmendra Yadav, TMC’s Mahua Moitra, JMM’s Mahua Maji, RSP’s N.K. Premchandran, among others, participated in the protest.

The protesting MPs were lined up behind a big banner that read: “Why Amit Shah absent from Parliament”.

Making the Opposition’s strategy clear, AICC general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal posted on X: “As we enter the 3rd week of this Parliament session, we still wait for Amit Shah to break his cowardly silence and give an answer to Parliament on the brutal assault on peaceful protesters… This government has also maintained radio silence on the ‘chanda chori’ at Ram Temple, to shield the high and mighty involved.”

Hitting back at the Opposition MPs, BJP MP Tarun Chugh said: “Wearing saffron robes and disguising yourselves as saints, you are standing inside the premises of the world's largest democratic institution and making saffron an object of ridicule. You are making India's saints a laughing stock. This is unfortunate. Strict action should be taken.” He claimed Hindus across the world are hurt and angry over the protest and asserted that there is widespread resentment against those responsible.

Another BJP Rajya Sabha MP, Dinesh Sharma, alleged that the Opposition disrupts democratic traditions instead of raising issues inside Parliament and described its members as “agenda-driven”, “issue-less” and “frustrated”.

“They are speed breakers in the country’s development journey. Every day they stage protests outside Parliament without any issue. The Opposition should present its views inside the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha instead of raising slogans outside,” Mr Sharma said.