Samajwadi Party leader Ashutosh Verma defended MP Pappu Yadav’s protest over the alleged Ram Mandir donation theft. Verma urged the focus to be on the allegations rather than the protest method, following a controversial skit by Yadav in Parliament.
SP Defends Pappu Yadav’s Protest
Samajwadi Party leader Ashutosh Verma on Tuesday defended Independent MP Pappu Yadav amid the political row over his Parliament protest on the alleged Ram Temple donation theft, saying the focus should remain on the allegations rather than the manner in which the issue was raised. Speaking to ANI, Verma alleged that while the BJP was criticising Pappu Yadav’s method of protest, the entire country was seeking answers on the alleged donation theft. “I am constantly seeing TV channels raise this issue of Pappu Yadav. Thieves exist in this country, and thefts have also occurred, yet the BJP is saying that their method of raising this issue was wrong. The entire country is investigating donation theft,” Verma said.
Controversy Over Parliament Skit
This came after Purnia MP Pappu Yadav sparked a controversy last week by imitating a priest and collecting donations while criticising the government over the alleged Ram Mandir donation theft row.
Clash at MP’s Residence
On Sunday, the controversy surrounding the Parliament skit on Ram Mandir donation ‘theft’ intensified after a clash broke out at the residence of Pappu Yadav, who had portrayed a temple priest wearing saffron robes during the performance in Parliament on Friday. The clash erupted while Pappu Yadav was holding a press conference, during which individuals allegedly attempted to confront him, leading to a scuffle between them and his supporters.
Speaking to reporters after the incident, Yadav alleged that the episode was an attempt to assassinate him and claimed that a bounty had been announced against him. “Babas are saying every day, ‘Kill me, burn me down; we will give Rs 51 lakh.’ We caught him and handed him over to the police. There was a plot to kill me, but I survived,” Yadav said.
He further alleged that the person involved in the incident was carrying a knife. (ANI)
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