The Opposition, led by the Indian National Congress (INC), on Sunday, 19 July declared that the alleged theft of donations at Ayodhya's Ram Temple, the NEET-UG paper leak, and the reported forcible hospitalisation of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk will be among the defining flashpoints when the Monsoon session of Parliament opens on Monday, 20 July. The announcement came after an all-party meeting convened by the Centre, where Opposition leaders signalled a combative opening week.

Key Issues the Opposition Plans to Raise

Congress MP Kumari Selja said the party intends to press the government on student grievances, the alleged Ram Temple donation theft, and rising inflation. '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,' she said. She also flagged consumer confusion around the ethanol policy, saying experts and consumers alike were being left without answers.

What Congress Said After the All-Party Meeting

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, addressing reporters after the all-party meeting, argued that the issues facing citizens are 'far more important' than the Bills the government plans to introduce. He urged the Centre to show 'sensitivity' on the Ram Temple donation controversy, noting that Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had jointly written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the matter. 'We are also witnessing injustice against students and various protests taking place across the country, yet there is no accountability from the government,' Gogoi remarked.

Congress MP Manish Tewari broadened the agenda further, calling on Parliament to first address large-scale defections within 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. These defections have not taken place because of any ideological differences, policy disagreements or fundamental issues, but only due to opportunism,' he said, demanding that the House prioritise a discussion on how to curb such defections.

Samajwadi Party and Left Flag Ram Temple and NEET

Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav said his party had placed multiple issues before the House and expected the Speaker to allow substantive debate. He described the alleged misappropriation of Ram Mandir construction funds as 'a matter of betrayal and fraud, which has hurt the sentiments of the Sanatanis.' Yadav also highlighted the NEET-UG paper leak, linking it to student suicides, and reiterated the demand for accountability over Sonam Wangchuk's reported hospitalisation.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Hannan Mollah was sharper in his criticism, calling the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre a government of 'corruption, scandals, anti-democratic activities, and of looters.' He alleged that money was being misappropriated from the Ram Mandir and other temples under the watch of RSS and BJP-affiliated administrators, and questioned why the government 'always runs away from replying.'

Background and What to Watch

The NEET-UG controversy has dominated national discourse for weeks, with allegations of a systemic paper leak triggering protests across states and demands for a CBI or Supreme Court-monitored probe. The Ram Temple donation theft allegation adds a politically sensitive dimension, given the temple's centrality to the BJP's governance narrative. This comes amid broader Opposition unity ahead of the session — a pattern that has historically produced turbulent opening days in Parliament. How the Treasury benches respond to these demands in the first week will set the tone for the entire Monsoon session.