Opposition members of Parliament, led by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Purnia MP Pappu Yadav, staged a dramatic street-play-style demonstration inside Parliament on Friday, 31 July, demanding accountability over alleged financial irregularities in donations collected at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The protest drew fresh attention to allegations of embezzlement that have unsettled both the temple administration and the ruling establishment.

The Demonstration

Pappu Yadav arrived at Parliament dressed in saffron attire, carrying a donation box as a prop to symbolise the alleged misappropriation of devotee contributions. Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and several other Opposition leaders made symbolic donations into the box during the demonstration. Yadav raised slogans and accused those responsible for allegedly misusing funds collected in the name of Lord Ram, saying: 'Ram Ram japiyo re, sab maal hadapiyo re. Man mein Ram, Chintan mein Ram, Kan mein Shiv, Jivan Mein Sanso Mein.'

Key Allegations Raised

Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav said the demonstration was aimed at drawing attention to claims that devotees who donated were not issued receipts, and that CCTV footage related to the matter had allegedly been deleted. 'This is a symbolic protest to highlight what has happened in Ayodhya. Devotees made donations, but there are allegations that receipts were not issued and CCTV footage was deleted. We want a discussion on this issue in Parliament,' he said. He also urged the Speaker to allow a formal parliamentary debate on the matter.

Protesting MPs also carried a banner reading: 'Amit Shah Sansad Se Gayab Kyun?' (Why is Amit Shah absent from Parliament?), questioning the absence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah from the House.

Background: SIT, New Appointment, and Unanswered Questions

The protest follows a series of developments in the case. On 26 July, the Uttar Pradesh government officially reconstituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe allegations of irregularities in donations and offerings at the Ram Temple. Subsequently, the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust — the body overseeing the temple's administration — appointed IIT Bombay alumnus Jagdish Aphale as its first secretary. Aphale has reportedly also been made joint signatory for the Trust's financial transactions.

Opposition leaders questioned whether the appointment would be sufficient to prevent future misappropriation. Samajwadi Party spokesperson Ashutosh Verma asked the government and the Trust to clarify 'whether the appointment will prevent future irregularities and what measures are being put in place for that.' He also questioned why no FIR had been lodged against Champat Rai, saying: 'Until the government takes strict action, we will believe that influential people continue to be protected.'

Congress Calls for Trust Reconstitution

Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai alleged that 'people associated with the RSS indulged in corruption and theft in the name of Lord Ram,' and called for the Ram Temple Trust to be reconstituted under the guidance of seers, including the Shankaracharyas. He also urged that residents of Ayodhya be included in the Trust, citing their historic association with Lord Ram. All allegations against the Trust and its functionaries are as yet unproven; NationPress has not independently verified the claims.

With the SIT investigation ongoing and parliamentary pressure mounting, the controversy over Ram Temple donations is set to remain a flashpoint between the Opposition and the ruling dispensation in the weeks ahead.