SP legislators on Monday (August 3, 2026) staged a protest in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly premises, accusing the BJP government of failing to act on the Ram temple donation theft issue and demanding action over paper leaks.
Holding placards that read "NEET hai ya cheat hai" (Is it NEET or cheat), "Daan ka paisa kahan milega, BJP ke khate me" (Donation money will be found in BJP's account)", the Samajwadi Party (SP) MLAs and MLCs alleged that the government was attempting to suppress the truth in the Ram temple donation matter and sought a fair probe.
Holding a donation box in their hand, SP MLAs alleged that the BJP had "betrayed the faith of devotees" and demanded accountability over donations made for the temple. They also claimed devotees were losing confidence and sought a transparent investigation.
Issues such as paper leaks, unemployment, inflation, fertiliser shortage, floods and alleged irregularities in reservation should be discussed in the House, they said.
They also accused the government of curtailing the duration of the Monsoon session to avoid debate on public issues.
The protesting legislators said incidents of examination paper leaks had adversely affected students and demanded strict action against those responsible.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said those raising questions on the handling of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya had earlier attempted to obstruct the temple’s construction, and slammed their “double standards”.
Talking to reporters before the commencement of the Monsoon Session of the state legislature, Mr. Adityanath also appealed to all MLAs to ensure a constructive discussion in the House and said the government had brought a supplementary budget aimed at strengthening welfare measures for various categories of frontline workers.
“The Ayodhya issue is being raised by those who had fired bullets at Ram devotees. They are the same people who used to resort to lathi-charge and firing when people raised the slogan of ‘Jai Shri Ram’,” the Chief Minister said without naming any party.
He alleged that those criticising the handling of donations for the Ram temple had earlier tried to stall the temple’s construction by “deploying an army of lawyers” in courts.
“They [opposition] talk about theft of donations meant for the Ram temple, but not a single penny for the temple’s construction came from their pockets. The country and the world are watching their double standards,” Mr. Adityanath said.
The Chief Minister said the government expects meaningful deliberations in the legislature and called upon members across party lines to contribute positively to the proceedings.
“I appeal to all honourable public representatives to maintain healthy discussion and debate in the House,” he said.
The four-day Monsoon Session of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly begins on Monday (August 3, 2026).
Published - August 03, 2026 11:45 am IST
India / Uttar Pradesh / Samajwadi Party / Ayodhya Ram temple donation case
Source: The Hindu - India News
