Opposition Protests Disrupt Indian Parliament Over Police Action and Temple Theft

The 2026 Monsoon Session of the Indian Parliament faced severe disruptions on August 3 as the INDIA bloc staged protests at the Makar Dwar and within Parliament premises. Opposition leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, demanded a formal statement and the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah following a July 20 security crackdown on student protesters. The opposition specifically alleges the use of pellet guns and lathicharges against students demonstrating against NEET-UG paper leaks at Jantar Mantar.

Parallel tensions emerged over alleged financial irregularities and the theft of donations intended for the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. Congress MPs Randeep Surjewala and Renuka Chowdhury submitted legislative notices seeking an independent audit and government explanation, while MP Rajesh Ranjan staged a controversial skit imitating a priest to symbolize the alleged theft. The Bharatiya Janata Party condemned these acts as insults to Sanatan dharma, and FIRs were subsequently filed in Varanasi against several MPs, including Rahul Gandhi.

Despite the impasse and multiple adjournments, the Government of India advanced several legislative goals. The Lok Sabha passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, increasing the judge strength from 34 to 38, and the Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also introduced the Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill, 2026, to modernize banking records, while Rao Inderjeet Singh tabled the Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026.