NEW DELHI, AUGUST 11: Tensions escalated outside Parliament on Tuesday as MPs of the ruling NDA and Opposition INDIA bloc staged rival demonstrations at Makar Dwar, trading slogans and accusations over the alleged police action against students and job aspirants in Jharkhand and the controversy surrounding alleged irregularities in Ram Temple donations in Ayodhya.
Members of both political formations gathered outside the Parliament building carrying placards and raising counter-slogans. The situation turned tense after the two groups came face-to-face, prompting Parliament security personnel to form a cordon between the protesting MPs to prevent the confrontation from escalating.
The INDIA bloc MPs reiterated their demand for accountability from Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the alleged police action during student protests. The Opposition has been pressing for a statement from the Home Minister in Parliament on the July 20 protests and the alleged use of force against demonstrators.
The Opposition also raised the issue of alleged irregularities and theft of donations linked to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, demanding that the matter be taken up for discussion in Parliament and that the Government provide a detailed response.
In a counter-protest, NDA MPs targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of avoiding a debate on student protests and alleging that the Opposition was adopting double standards on police action.
The ruling alliance also sought to highlight the alleged police action against protesting students in Jharkhand, where the Congress is part of the ruling alliance, and questioned the Opposition over its position on the issue.
The face-off comes amid an already prolonged Parliamentary deadlock during the Monsoon Session, with repeated protests and disruptions affecting normal proceedings. The Government has indicated that Amit Shah is prepared to respond to the Opposition’s concerns, but differences over the terms and scope of the proposed discussion have continued to prevent a resolution.
The rival demonstrations outside Parliament underscored the deepening political confrontation between the Government and Opposition, with both sides attempting to put pressure on each other over student protests, alleged police excesses, and the Ram Temple donation controversy.
The latest confrontation also reflected the growing difficulty in breaking the impasse inside Parliament, as the two sides continue to insist on their respective demands before allowing normal legislative business to proceed. (KNC)
