Opposition to corner govt over Ram Temple donation row, NEET leak in Monsoon session

The Opposition, led by the Congress, has announced that it will press the Union government for answers on key issues during the Monsoon session of Parliament starting Monday. These include the alleged theft of donations at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple, the NEET-UG paper leak, the forced hospitalisation of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, rising inflation, and large-scale defections among opposition parties.

New Delhi: The Opposition, led by the Congress, on Sunday said that the alleged theft of offerings made at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple, the NEET-UG paper leak and the forceful hospitalisation of climate Activist Sonam Wangchuk will be among the top issues on which the leaders will seek the Union government’s reply during the Monsoon session of Parliament that begins tomorrow.

Speaking to IANS, Congress MP Kumari Selja said: “We will definitely raise several issues. There are issues related to students, the theft at the Ram Temple, and rising inflation. The government neither sees nor hears the concerns of the people. Inflation is increasing,….hiked prices of petrol…but the government is not explaining its policy.”

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“On the ethanol issue, the experts are unable to explain anything, and consumers are the ones facing problems,” she added.

Addressing reporters after an all-party meeting convened by the Centre, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said: “I believe there are several issues facing the country today that are far more important than those Bills that the government intends to introduce. The Opposition has consistently demanded that these issues be discussed in Parliament and that the government should respond to them.”

He asked the government to show “sensitivity” on the alleged Ram Temple donation theft, a joint letter on which has been written by Leader of Opposition in (LoP) Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“We are also witnessing injustice against students and various protests taking place across the country, yet there is no accountability from the government,” he remarked.

Congress MP Manish Tewari said that they will also draw the Centre’s attention towards defections among various opposition parties.

“The basic issue is that the mandate given by the people in 2024 and the present composition of the Lok Sabha are very different. Therefore, Parliament should first deliberate on the issue of large-scale defections. These defections have not taken place because of any ideological differences, policy disagreements or fundamental issues, but only due to opportunism,” he told IANS.

He stressed: “The Parliament should keep everything aside and first discuss how to stop these defections.”

Talking to IANS after the all-party meeting, Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav said: “We have put forward many issues on behalf of our party and have demanded that the government bring these matters up for discussion in the House. We expect the House to allow discussion on our notice.”

“One important issue is the theft of funds and donations during the construction of the Ram Mandir. It is a matter of betrayal and fraud, which has hurt the sentiments of the Sanatanis. We demand that these matters be brought to the House and that the people be given an opportunity to hear and understand them,” he added.

Yadav mentioned that the NEET-UG paper leak is another important issue, including the related suicide of students and the forceful hospitalisation of Sonam Wangchuk.

“We will raise these issues in the Parliament at all costs,” he asserted.

Criticising the BJP-led Centre, CPI-M leader Hannan Mollah called it a government of “corruption, scandals, anti-democratic activities, and of looters”.

“Allegations have surfaced that money is being looted from the Ram Mandir and several other temples, and these temples are being looked after by RSS and BJP members. There are many similar issues on which the government must reply. I don’t know why they always run away from replying,” he told IANS.