Parliament deadlock for 13th straight day as Opposition protests alleged Ram Temple scam, police action against protesters

Published 5 August 2026 · politics

Disruptions continued in both Houses of Parliament for the 13th consecutive day on Sunday, with the Opposition persisting in its protests over the alleged Ram

Disruptions continued in both Houses of Parliament for the 13th consecutive day on Sunday, with the Opposition persisting in its protests over the alleged Ram Temple donation scam and its demand for a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah on last month’s police action against protesters. The government has not extended any assurance on either issue. In the Lok Sabha, Opposition MPs trooped into the Well of the House as soon as it convened in the morning and began shouting slogans and displaying placards. Speaker Om Birla asked MPs to allow the House to function and take up Question Hour. However, as the Opposition remained unrelenting, he adjourned the House till 2 p.m. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticised Opposition MPs for staging skits in the Parliament House complex to protest the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

He claimed that the Congress, the Communist parties, and the Samajwadi Party had opposed the construction of the temple and were against Lord Ram. Parliament Monsoon Session: Follow LIVE updates on August 5, 2026 Bill passed without debate When the Lok Sabha reconvened at 2 p.m., the Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill was taken up, with Opposition members continuing to raise slogans in the Well of the House. As the Opposition remained in place, the Bill was taken up for consideration and passed by a voice vote without debate. “We had given time for discussion, but they [the Opposition] disrupted proceedings,” Mr. Rijiju said. Referring to Congress leader K.C. Venugopal as a “good man”, he said Mr. Venugopal should make his party members understand the importance of debate.

He added that the government was open to discussions as decided in meetings of the Business Advisory Committee, but the Opposition should not exert pressure. ‘Rules of conduct ignored’ Similar scenes were witnessed in the Rajya Sabha, which saw two adjournments during the first half of the day. A few members managed to deliver their speeches during Zero Hour, which allows MPs to raise issues of national importance. Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan criticised the Opposition for not adhering to the rules of conduct. His repeated appeals to maintain order were ignored by both sides, and the Upper House was adjourned after 26 minutes till noon.

When the House reconvened for Question Hour, Mr. Radhakrishnan reminded MPs that they were required to abide by two key rules: entering the Well of the House was prohibited, and placards were not permitted as part of protests inside Parliament. However, Question Hour could not be completed.