Opposition marches in Parliament over Jantar Mantar crackdown, Ram temple donation row
Synopsis
For the third consecutive day, the Lok Sabha was adjourned as Opposition MPs — led by Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge — marched inside Parliament over the alleged Jantar Mantar police crackdown and Ram Temple donation irregularities. Priyanka Gandhi's pointed accountability demand and the sustained disruption pattern suggest the Opposition is using the Monsoon Session as a sustained pressure campaign, not a one-day protest.
Key Takeaways
Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge led an Opposition march from Prerna Sthal to Makar Dwar on 5 August .
The march targeted the alleged police crackdown at Jantar Mantar on 20 July and the Ayodhya Ram Mandir donation embezzlement controversy .
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra demanded accountability for the alleged use of pellet guns, tear gas, and lathi charges against protesters.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned until 2 pm — the third consecutive day of disruptions during Question Hour this week.
Speaker Om Birla made repeated appeals for order before adjourning proceedings.
The Monsoon Session has now seen sustained disruptions over three issues: the NEET paper leak , Jantar Mantar police action, and the Ram Temple donation row.
Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge, and several Opposition MPs on Wednesday, 5 August marched from the Gandhi statue at Prerna Sthal to Makar Dwar inside the Parliament complex, pressing the government on the alleged police crackdown against protesters at Jantar Mantar on 20 July and the Ayodhya Ram Mandir donation embezzlement controversy.
What the Protest Demanded
The march was a coordinated show of Opposition strength, targeting two of the most contentious issues of the ongoing Monsoon Session. MPs demanded accountability for the alleged use of pellet guns, tear gas, and lathi charges against protesters — including students — at Jantar Mantar last month. They also pressed for answers on reported irregularities in Ram Temple donation collections in Ayodhya.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, speaking to reporters outside Parliament, said accountability must follow the alleged use of force. 'This is a democracy, not a dictatorship. It is not anyone's royal court. If children have been fired upon, if pellet guns, tear gas, and lathi-charge have been used, then someone must be held accountable. Someone would have given those orders, and they must take responsibility,' she said.
Ram Temple Donation Row
Purnia MP Pappu Yadav targeted individuals allegedly linked to the Ram Temple donation controversy, demanding answers over the allegations. He claimed that those who had 'betrayed the temple and Lord Ram' must be held to account — though no formal charges have been filed and the allegations remain disputed.
Parliament Disrupted for Third Consecutive Day
The Lok Sabha was adjourned until 2 pm on Wednesday as Opposition members continued heavy sloganeering during Question Hour — the third straight day of disruptions this week. Speaker Om Birla repeatedly appealed to MPs to maintain the decorum of the House and refrain from displaying placards inside the chamber. When order could not be restored, he adjourned proceedings.
Notably, the Monsoon Session has now seen repeated adjournments across both Houses over three interlinked issues: the NEET paper leak case, the alleged Jantar Mantar police action, and the Ram Temple donation controversy. This is the third consecutive week in which Question Hour has been effectively lost to sloganeering.
Pattern of Escalation
On Tuesday, Opposition MPs had staged protests inside Parliament over the same two issues, triggering multiple adjournments in both Houses. On Monday, the Lok Sabha had similarly been disrupted as members demanded a floor discussion on the Jantar Mantar incident and the donation row. Earlier, Opposition leaders including Priyanka Gandhi had also held a demonstration against the alleged Ram Temple donation irregularities ahead of the session's proceedings that day.
The sustained disruptions signal that the Opposition intends to keep both issues alive through the remainder of the Monsoon Session, with no sign of the government agreeing to a structured floor debate as yet.
Point of View
They are threading two emotionally charged narratives: state excess against protesters and alleged sacrilege at Ayodhya. The government's silence on a structured floor debate is itself a political choice, but it carries a cost: three days of lost Question Hour is three days of ministerial accountability evaded by both sides. The real loser is parliamentary time.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Opposition MPs march inside Parliament on 5 August?
Opposition MPs led by Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge marched from Prerna Sthal to Makar Dwar on 5 August to demand government accountability over the alleged police crackdown at Jantar Mantar on 20 July and reported irregularities in Ram Temple donation collections in Ayodhya. The march was the latest in a series of escalating protests during the Monsoon Session.
What happened at Jantar Mantar on 20 July?
Protesters gathered at Jantar Mantar on 20 July were allegedly subjected to police action involving pellet guns, tear gas, and lathi charges, according to Opposition claims. The government has not yet responded formally to demands for a floor discussion on the incident.
What is the Ram Temple donation controversy?
The controversy centres on allegations of embezzlement or irregularities in donations collected for the Ayodhya Ram Mandir. Opposition MPs, including Pappu Yadav, have demanded accountability from those allegedly involved, though no formal charges have been confirmed publicly.
Why was the Lok Sabha adjourned on 5 August?
The Lok Sabha was adjourned until 2 pm on 5 August after Opposition members continued heavy sloganeering during Question Hour, making it impossible to conduct proceedings. Speaker Om Birla made repeated appeals for order before adjourning the House — the third such disruption in as many days.
Which other issues have disrupted the Monsoon Session?
Beyond the Jantar Mantar police action and Ram Temple donation row, the NEET paper leak case has also been a major flashpoint during the Monsoon Session, with Opposition members pressing the government for answers across all three issues simultaneously.
