Opposition to protest over student crackdown, Ram Mandir funds

Opposition MPs will stage a protest to demand a statement from the Home Minister on police action against students and to raise allegations of misappropriation of donations at the Ram Mandir. LoP Mallikarjun Kharge has demanded answers in Parliament.

Opposition MPs from both Houses of Parliament will stage a protest at Makar Dwar at 10.30 am on Tuesday (August 4), to demand a statement from the Minister of Home Affairs on police action against students during the July 20 protest in Delhi.

Party leaders said the protest will also be used to raise allegations of misappropriation of donations at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The protest comes as the Monsoon Session enters its eleventh day.

Kharge Demands PM, HM Address Parliament

Earlier in the day, Congress President and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah come to Parliament and present the government's position on the recent student protest crackdown and alleged "missing funds."

Speaking to ANI, Kharge said, "We want the Prime Minister and the Home Minister to come to the House and present their views. What do they have to say? There is the issue of the missing funds. What is their position on it?"

Targeting the government over its handling of the July 20 student protest at Jantar Mantar, Kharge said, "Students were beaten, pellet guns were used, tear gas was fired, and every possible measure was taken against them. Why did this happen? For what reason? Both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister should take responsibility and make statements in the House."

Kharge accused the Prime Minister of avoiding Parliament and said, "The Prime Minister is not even willing to come into the House, and that is an insult to the people who elected us. It is an insult to democracy... When the Prime Minister wakes up at 12 or 12:30, he posts his views on Instagram. Instead, he should come to the House and say the same thing, or call a press conference...This is an insult to Parliament and an insult to the people. The millions of people who voted for us, our alliance partners, and others want to know what is happening in Parliament and what the government's response is. But the government is not prepared to answer..."

Further, in a post on X, Kharge wrote, "Modi Govt will have to answer INDIA 1. Home Minister should come to the Parliament and explain the lathi-charge-pellet gun action on students. 2. Prime Minister should answer how the chanda-chadhava (offerings) donated to Shri Ram Mandir was stolen, even as the Trust was under PM's oversight."

The opposition has been on an offensive against Union Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging the lathi-charge and use of pellet guns by Delhi Police against protesters during the July 20 march led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). Last week, Independent MP Pappu Yadav had sparked a political row after he impersonated a priest and collected donations while attacking the government over the alleged Ram Mandir donation theft issue. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)