Police File FIRs Against Rahul Gandhi and Pappu Yadav Over Parliament Protest

Police in Varanasi and New Delhi filed complaints and First Information Reports against Rahul Gandhi, Rajesh Ranjan (known as Pappu Yadav), and Awadhesh Prasad following a protest at the Parliament House complex on July 31, 2026. The opposition leaders, representing the INDIA bloc, staged a skit at the Makar Dwar to protest the alleged embezzlement of donations intended for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. During the demonstration, Rajesh Ranjan wore saffron robes and posed as a sadhu, simulating the theft of offerings from donation boxes.

The Bharatiya Janata Party and various Hindu organizations condemned the act as an insult to Sanatan Dharma and parliamentary dignity. Complainants, including Seer Jagatguru Balak Das and petitioner Surya Maithil, alleged that the protest hurt religious sentiments and specifically claimed that a photograph of Lord Ram Lalla Virajman was placed underfoot. These allegations led to the registration of FIRs at the Kotwali and Cantonment police stations in Varanasi and a complaint at the Jehangirpuri Police Station in New Delhi.

In response to the legal actions, the Vishva Hindu Parishad and other outfits held nationwide demonstrations. Conversely, the opposition MPs defended their actions, demanding that Union Home Minister Amit Shah explain why no major action has been taken against the primary accused in the actual donation theft case two months after it was revealed.