Parliament – Congress questions government over 15-day disruption
Parliament –The Congress on Saturday accused the government of allowing Parliament to remain largely non-functional for 15 straight days, alleging that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has avoided responding to opposition questions over police action against protesting students. The party also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not addressing allegations linked to donations made for the Ram temple.
Jairam Ramesh targets the government
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh made the allegations in a post on X, arguing that the continued disruption was the result of the Home Minister’s absence from both Houses when members wanted answers on the issue.
Ramesh said the Home Minister should appear before the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and explain the police action against young protesters, particularly the events of July 20. He accused the government’s senior leadership of projecting confidence publicly while, according to him, avoiding direct questioning inside Parliament.
July 20 protest became a flashpoint
The dispute centres on the July 20 ‘Sansad Chalo’ march organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), during which clashes were reported between police personnel and students near Parliament.
According to Ramesh, the Home Minister bears direct responsibility for the functioning of the Delhi Police and therefore should respond to questions concerning its handling of protests in the national capital.
The Congress leader further alleged that Shah continues to spend considerable time in his office but has not appeared before MPs to answer questions concerning police action against students protesting over the NEET paper leak.
Congress demands statement from Amit Shah
Ramesh described the Home Minister’s continued absence from the Houses as unusual and insisted that the issue should be addressed before the session concludes.
The Congress leader said Parliament has only four working days remaining in the session and maintained that Shah should first make a statement on what the opposition has described as police excesses against protesting students.
The demand comes amid repeated disruptions in both Houses, with opposition parties pressing the government to respond to the allegations and explain the circumstances surrounding the police action.
Prime Minister asked to address donation allegations
Ramesh also called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to respond to allegations concerning donations associated with the Ram temple. He referred to what the Congress has termed the “Chanda Chori Aastha Dhoka” issue and linked it to a trust whose formation Modi had announced in the Lok Sabha on February 5, 2020.
The Congress leader alleged that the trust had failed to honour the confidence placed in it by people who contributed to the cause. The government or other parties may offer their own responses to these allegations.
Opposition protests continue in Parliament
The Monsoon Session began on July 20, but proceedings in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have repeatedly been affected by opposition protests. Congress and other opposition parties have raised the police action against protesting students and the allegations concerning Ram temple donations as major issues.
With four days of the session remaining, the Congress is demanding that the government address both matters on the floor of Parliament. The dispute has become another point of confrontation between the ruling side and the opposition, leaving the functioning of the Houses under continued pressure.