Pappu Yadav faces protests, complaint over Ram Temple demonstration

Right-wing organisations protested against Independent MP Pappu Yadav over his Parliament demonstration depicting the Ayodhya Ram Temple donation theft. While BJP condemned the act and a police complaint was filed, Opposition leaders defended it as a political protest

New Delhi: A day after a complaint was filed against Independent MP, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav for dressing as a monk during an act depicting the Ayodhya Ram Temple donation theft at Parliament premises, several Right-wing and Hindutva organisations on Saturday staged demonstrations against the MP from Bihar’s Purnia, even as the Opposition backed Yadav.

On Friday, a complaint was filed at the national Capital’s Jahangirpuri Police Station by petitioner Surya Maithil, accusing Pappu Yadav of hurting religious sentiments during the protest. Speaking to IANS, BJP spokesperson Guru Prakash referred to Yadav’s act as “condemnable and unfortunate”.

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Targeting the Congress and the Samajwadi Party for their alleged support to the act, he said: “Those who had denied the existance of Lord Ram, didn’t want the temple to be constructed and had opening fire on Karsevaks (in 1992), now insulting our religious sentiments.”
However, Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad said that except the ‘Shankracharyas’ and other educated people, “there are many such fake people who walk around in saffron robes”.

Backing Pappu Yadav’s demonstration, he said: “There has been no insult. In fact the reality of the BJP, RSS and the VHP has been depicted. What’s the point of trolling Pappu Yadav…there has been theft (at the Ram Temple)…we have shown how the thefts have been taking place.”

Congress MP Tariq Anwar said: “It was his personal agenda. It was not done on behalf of the party. He wanted to highlight how theft took place in the Ram Temple and wanted to take this issue before the public, which he was successful in doing. Several MPs met him and even gave donation (as part of the act).”

Meanwhile, the Vishwa Hindu Raksha Parishad (VHRP) staged a protest in Lucknow’s Gomti Nagar area in Uttar Pradesh, against the Purnia MP.

The VHRP activists burned an effigy representing the Parliamentarian and raised slogans, accusing Yadav of insulting ‘Sanatan Dharma’. A large police force was deployed during the protest, and a minor scuffle was reported to have broken out between the police and the protesters.

VHRP National President Gopal Rai said: “Everyone witnessed the drama that unfolded in the Parliament—the charade of posing as a follower of Sanatan Dharma, orchestrated with the support of Opposition MPs; it is truly shameful.” Gopal Rai claimed that Pappu Yadav has committed a “grave offence against Sanatan Dharma, Hindu society, and the community of sants”.

“He will not be able to win elections in the future, for it was this very community of sants and followers of Sanatan Dharma that helped him win. If he has the guts, let him try saying something against the Prophet just once. By evening, that hefty physique of his would be headless his body would remain, but his head would be severed from his torso,” he told IANS. The VHRP chief further said: “The Vishwa Hindu Raksha Parishad opposes his act and we request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to suspend him from the Parliament.”

The head of Tapasvi Chhawani in Ayodhya Jagadguru Paramhans Acharya, and another Hindu outfit ‘Sanatan Raksha Sangathan’ also staged protests against the Purnia MP’s act in the Parliament complex and demanded action for the alleged “insult to Sanatan Dharma”.