Opposition Protests Over Ram Temple Theft Stall Indian Parliament

The Indian Parliament's Monsoon Session faced significant disruptions on August 6, 2026, as opposition members from the Congress, Samajwadi Party, and Shiv Sena (UBT) used sloganeering and placards to stall proceedings. Kiren Rijiju, the Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister, accused the opposition of deliberately preventing the House from functioning and attacking national sentiments. The deadlock centered on demands for Home Minister Amit Shah to address police violence against student protesters at Jantar Mantar on July 20, alongside calls for investigations into NEET paper leaks and the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ayodhya Ram temple.

During the confrontations, Sanjay Raut and K.C. Venugopal defended their demands, arguing that questioning theft at the temple was not an attack on Lord Ram. In response, the government accused the opposition of being anti-Ram, while Speaker Om Birla criticized the disruptions for lowering the dignity of the House, noting that the Question Hour had not functioned once since the session began on July 20.

Despite the volatility, the Lok Sabha passed the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the government previously passed the Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill via voice vote. Efforts to resolve the tension included a meeting between Kiren Rijiju and Rahul Gandhi to discuss the FCRA and delimitation bills, though the Lok Sabha was ultimately adjourned for the day.