Rajya Sabha was briefly adjourned on Tuesday, 4 August after a sharp confrontation erupted between NDA treasury benches and Opposition members over the alleged theft of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Temple. The uproar began during Zero Hour when Congress president and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge raised questions about financial irregularities at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, triggering protests from both sides and forcing Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan to suspend proceedings until noon.

How the Confrontation Unfolded

When Kharge raised the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust donation issue during Zero Hour, NDA members erupted in protest, accusing the Opposition of misusing parliamentary time. Chairman Radhakrishnan intervened, reminding members that the tradition of the House required both sides to be heard, before permitting Kharge to continue. Opposition members subsequently moved towards the well of the House, deepening the disorder.

What the Government Said

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju hit back sharply, alleging that Opposition members 'do not believe in Lord Ram' and were repeatedly exploiting the parliamentary forum by raising the same Ram Temple issue both inside and outside the House. He argued that other members had important matters pending and called the approach unfair. Rijiju demanded that the Indian National Congress (Congress) and the Samajwadi Party apologise to the nation for 'dishonouring Lord Ram' before raising the issue again.

Opposition's Stand

Kharge rose a second time to reiterate his allegations, insisting that questions about the Trust's handling of devotees' offerings deserved answers. The Opposition has been demanding an independent or court-monitored probe into the Trust's financial affairs since the controversy first surfaced in early June 2026. With no resolution in sight and the din continuing, the Chairman adjourned the House till noon.

Background: The Ram Temple Donation Controversy

The dispute centres on alleged irregularities in the management of offerings made by devotees at the Ayodhya Ram Temple. The issue has remained in the public domain since June 2026, with Opposition parties pressing for a transparent audit of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust's finances. The government has not yet announced any formal probe. Notably, this is at least the second time the issue has disrupted Rajya Sabha proceedings in the current session.

Other Business Before the House

Before the uproar, the House conducted routine legislative business. Papers from several ministries were tabled, including by Anupriya Patel for the Ministries of Ayush, Health and Family Welfare, and Chemicals and Fertilisers; Pankaj Chaudhary for Finance; B.L. Verma for Consumer Affairs; Shantanu Thakur for Ports, Shipping and Waterways; and Harsh Malhotra for Corporate Affairs. Two Public Accounts Committee reports — the 52nd on the Dimapur-Kohima rail project and the 53rd on IGST exemptions on pharmaceutical imports — were also presented. Additionally, a motion was moved seeking the election of Rajya Sabha members to the institute bodies of seven AIIMS, including at Awantipora, Bathinda, Bhopal, Guwahati, Vijaypur, Madurai, and Jodhpur.

With the Opposition showing no sign of backing down and the government refusing to concede ground, the Ram Temple donation controversy is set to remain a flashpoint in Parliament through the remainder of the session.