Purnia MP Pappu Yadav sparked a sharp political confrontation on 31 July after he donned saffron robes inside the Parliament premises during a protest against the alleged embezzlement of donations at Ayodhya's Ram Temple. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned the act as an 'insult to Sanatan Dharma', while the Opposition demanded to know what action the government had taken against the main accused in the donation theft case — nearly two months after the matter came to light.

BJP's Reaction: 'Insult to Sanatan'

BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj, speaking within the Parliament complex, accused the Congress and its leaders of repeatedly targeting Sanatan Dharma. 'From the country's freedom till today, the Congress, and now Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and the entire Opposition have continuously insulted sants, saffron, and Sanatan. The way they tried to insult Sanatan by bringing Lord Ram and donations into their protest and acting like 'Kalnemi'...the people of the country are watching and will teach them a lesson in the next election,' he said.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh alleged that the Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP) had orchestrated the act by 'dressing up' Yadav as a sadhu. 'They made him wear saffron robes. It is unfortunate for the country and for political parties like the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, which, for the sake of votes, have worked to defame Sanatan. Sanatan will respond to this, and this is an offence that we will never forgive,' he told reporters outside Parliament House.

BJP MP Dinesh Sharma said the issue was not with wearing saffron per se, but with the intent behind it. 'If you wear the attire of a sant and then run around claiming that sants steal money or donations, it is an insult to the tradition,' he said, adding that such behaviour was unbecoming of Parliament. BJP MP Brij Lal warned that 'the sant community won't forgive him ever.'

Opposition Fires Back: 'What Action Has Been Taken?'

SP MP Pushpendra Saroj defended Yadav, saying the Purnia MP had dressed as a member of the Ram Temple Trust to highlight inaction against those accused of stealing offerings. 'The way people associated with the trust have committed theft of offerings at the Ram Temple and no action has been taken against the main accused so far. Keeping this in view, a major protest was held today,' he said.

SP MP Dharmendra Yadav pressed the government for answers. 'We have never tried to insult anyone, nor was it ever our intention, and it can never be so. We all have deep faith and reverence for Lord Shri Ram from the bottom of our hearts,' he said, adding: 'In fact the government should answer what action it has taken (in the donation theft case) since now it has been almost two months that the matter was revealed.'

Congress Targets BJP Over Embezzlement Allegations

Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai went further, directly accusing the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of misappropriating funds. 'The manner in which the BJP and RSS have committed theft in Lord Ram's court — they misappropriated the money offered to Lord Ram and embezzled funds meant for the land at the holy site. They took a 40 per cent commission for the temple's construction; what is left?' he said. The BJP has not responded directly to these specific allegations.

The Broader Context

The confrontation comes amid a wider controversy over the alleged misappropriation of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, which first surfaced roughly two months ago. The Opposition has consistently argued that the ruling establishment has shielded the accused, while the BJP maintains the protest was a politically motivated attempt to malign Hinduism and its symbols. The episode has deepened the fault lines between the two camps ahead of upcoming electoral cycles, with both sides seeking to frame the narrative around religious sentiment and institutional accountability.