Ram Mandir donation theft issue triggers loud protests in Lok Sabha, judges bill passed without debate, MSME bill cleared in Rajya Sabha
Ram Mandir donation row brought Parliament proceedings to a halt on Monday. Opposition members raised slogans over the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The Speaker adjourned the Lok Sabha till Tuesday after repeated disruptions during Question Hour.
Before the adjournment, the Lok Sabha passed a bill to raise the number of Supreme Court judges, including the Chief Justice of India, from 34 to 38. The bill went through without any discussion, as opposition MPs kept protesting near the Well of the House.
The Rajya Sabha also cleared the MSME Development (Amendment) Bill on Monday. Soon after, the Upper House was also adjourned till Tuesday.
Opposition Raises Two Issues Together
Opposition MPs raised two issues as soon as Question Hour began. The first was police action against students protesting the NEET paper leak. The second was the alleged theft of donations offered at the Ram temple.
MPs from opposition parties demanded that Home Minister Amit Shah come to the House and make a statement on the police action against students. They raised slogans throughout the sitting, demanding an answer from the government.
Law Minister Moves Judges Bill Amid Protests
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the bill to increase the number of Supreme Court judges. The presiding officer asked members to speak on the motion, but the slogans continued. The bill was then put to a vote and passed.
Opposition members had also moved a statutory motion against the ordinance route used by the government. This motion was rejected through a voice vote.
Congress MP Raises Ram Mandir Trust Questions
Congress MP Rajiv Shukla said the Ram Mandir donation issue would be raised in Parliament again. He asked why the Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is not handed over to seers and saints. He also questioned the presence of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) members on the trust.
Shukla referred to a statement given by Mahapal Singh before the Special Investigation Team (SIT). According to Shukla, donation money reached VHP-linked people living in Karsevakpuram. He alleged the money was used for VHP programmes and for building houses.
Samajwadi Party Slams Government
Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav said the entire episode was an attempt to divert attention from real issues. She said people are completely disappointed with the government. She held the government responsible for the alleged land scam linked to the Ram Janmabhoomi site and the donation theft case.
Yadav made these remarks while reacting to an FIR filed against Rahul Gandhi, Pappu Yadav, and Awadhesh Prasad over alleged insult to Sanatan Dharma.
INDIA Bloc Holds Floor Leaders Meeting
Floor leaders of the INDIA bloc met inside the Parliament building on Monday to discuss their strategy for the ongoing Monsoon Session.
Protest With Donation Box on July 31
On July 31, several opposition MPs had staged a dramatic protest inside the Parliament complex. MP Pappu Yadav sat near the Makar Dwar with a donation box. Rahul Gandhi also put money into the box as a mark of protest. Several other opposition MPs followed and dropped money into the box as well.
MPs later acted out catching a “thief” and gave Pappu Yadav a symbolic beating, as a form of street theatre to highlight their allegation of donation theft at the temple.
Two Bills Cleared So Far In Monsoon Session
Eight bills are listed for the current Monsoon Session of Parliament. The Vande Mataram Bill and the Public Examinations (Amendment) Bill, related to paper leaks, have already been passed by both Houses.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill has now cleared the Lok Sabha, while the MSME Development (Amendment) Bill has been passed in the Rajya Sabha.
Four more bills are still pending approval from Parliament. These are the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment (FCRA) Bill, and the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill.
Parliament will resume proceedings on Tuesday. For official updates on Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha bills, readers can refer to the Parliament of India website.
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