Ruling NDA and Opposition INDIA bloc MPs came face-to-face near Parliament’s Makar Dwar on Thursday, 13 August, with security personnel forming a cordon between them as they staged rival protests and traded slogans over police action against job aspirants in Jharkhand and alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The face-off came after the two blocs held separate protests at Makar Dwar. NDA MPs demanded answers from Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and accused him of “running away” from a debate on student protests in Jharkhand, while INDIA bloc MPs demanded accountability from Union Home Minister Amit Shah over alleged police excesses during a 20 July student protest over the NEET paper leak.
The Opposition MPs, mostly from the Congress, Samajwadi Party and TMC, also raised the issue of alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple, carrying placards and raising slogans including “Amit Shah maafi maango (say sorry)”, “chanda chor, gaddi chhor (resign, donation thieves)” and “chanda chor kahan milenge, BJP ke daftar mein (all donation thieves are in the BJP office)”. They stood behind a banner that read ‘Chanda kisne loota hai (who stole the donations)?’ and raised slogans against the BJP.
NDA MPs, meanwhile, sat on the steps of Makar Dwar and raised slogans against Gandhi, accusing him of avoiding a debate on student protests in Jharkhand.
BJP MP Kangana Ranaut criticised the Opposition, saying it had no issues to raise and was resorting to tantrums. “The Opposition has no issue when it comes to development, the country’s progress, the economy or defence. When they have no issue left, they are throwing their tantrums here,” she said.
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