INDIA Bloc seeks Shah’s statement on student crackdown, Ram Temple donations

The Opposition intensified its offensive against the Centre on Wednesday, staging a high-voltage protest march inside the Parliament House complex and demanding that Union home minister Amit Shah make a statement on the police crackdown on students, the purported misappropriation of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, and the long-pending restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

Led by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, MPs from the INDIA bloc marched from the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Prerna Sthal to Makar Dwar, carrying placards and raising slogans against the government.

The protest witnessed participation from leaders across Opposition parties, including Samajwadi Party MPs Dimple Yadav and Dharmendra Yadav, Trinamool Congress MPs Mahua Moitra and Sagarika Ghose, NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule, JMM's Mahua Maji and RSP's N.K. Premachandran.

Taking a direct swipe at the home minister, Kharge questioned his absence from Parliament and accused the government of evading accountability.

"They are disrespecting Parliament. It has been so many days but they don't want to step inside the House. What is the issue in coming to the House and giving a statement?" Kharge told reporters.

He further asked, "Are they deaf and dumb?"

Later, in a post on X, the Congress chief said, "INDIA demands answers — Why is the home minister shying away from making a statement in Parliament on the atrocities perpetrated against our youth? Isn't the PM responsible for 'chanda-chadhawa chori' in Shree Ram Mandir?"

Rahul Gandhi also targeted Amit Shah, demanding that the home minister answer allegations of police excesses during the 20 July student protests over the paper leak issue.

"Amit Shah ji, do not hide; answer the nation's question in Parliament — who ordered the attack on the students?" Rahul Gandhi wrote in a Facebook post.

The Opposition MPs carried banners reading "Amit Shah Jawaab Do", while slogans such as "Chanda chor, gaddi chor", "Amit Shah jawaab do" and "Chanda chor kahan milenge, BJP ke daftar mein" reverberated across the Parliament complex.

In a symbolic protest, MPs placed donation boxes on the steps leading to Makar Dwar, alleging theft of offerings meant for the Ram Temple. Some Opposition members even dropped currency notes into the boxes to dramatise what they described as the misuse of devotees' contributions.

The demonstration also highlighted the demand for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, with several MPs from the Union Territory carrying placards on the issue. The protest coincided with the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir into a Union Territory.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said those in positions of power must accept responsibility for actions taken by law enforcement.

"Those holding high offices have a responsibility towards the people. It is not a dictatorship or a 'raj darbar'. If pellet guns have been fired on students, they have been tear-gassed and lathicharged, somebody would have ordered it. They should take responsibility. That has been the tradition of the country," she said.

The coordinated protest marks the INDIA bloc's latest attempt to corner the government during the Monsoon Session, with the Opposition vowing to keep pressing for answers on the alleged police action against students, the Ram Temple donation controversy and the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood.

With PTI inputs