Disruption in Uttar Pradesh Assembly Over Ayodhya Temple Issue
Lucknow, August 4 – On the second day of the monsoon session in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, members of the opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress, created a ruckus regarding the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Despite repeated requests from Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana, the uproar continued, leading to the suspension of proceedings until 12:20 PM.
As the session commenced, Leader of the Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey demanded a discussion on the alleged donation theft, halting all proceedings in the house. Following this, SP members gathered in front of the Speaker’s podium, chanting slogans such as ‘Where will we find donation thieves? At the BJP office!’
In response, Speaker Mahana stated that the matter was neither urgent nor warranted the suspension of the house’s activities. Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna criticized the opposition, asserting that those now speaking about faith and Lord Ram had previously ordered gunfire on Ram devotees in 1990 and obstructed the temple’s construction. He alleged that several lawyers were engaged to halt the temple’s construction in the Supreme Court.
Khanna emphasized that the investigation into the alleged donation theft at the temple is ongoing and the matter is currently under consideration by the Supreme Court, making it inappropriate for discussion in the assembly. As the SP members intensified their protests over the issues of ‘donation theft and offerings theft,’ Speaker Mahana remarked, ‘Those who donated should bring their receipts.’
He added, ‘It is not appropriate to attack religious faith.’ Mahana acknowledged that it was commendable for SP members like Shahid Manzoor and Zahid Beg to express concern for the Ram Temple. He reminded them that when he had invited all legislators to visit the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, they had not participated.
After nearly ten minutes of continuous disruption and the opposition’s refusal to calm down, the Speaker adjourned the assembly proceedings until 12:20 PM. Following this, SP members staged a sit-in in front of the Speaker’s podium.