Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday accused the BJP-led government of avoiding questions in Parliament over allegations of irregularities involving donations collected for the Ram Temple, arguing that the issue could not simply be dismissed as a state subject. She said donations had been made by people from across the country in the name of their faith and questioned why the government was unwilling to respond to allegations concerning the funds. Priyanka also criticised the BJP for what she described as a contradiction in its approach to the Ram Temple, saying the party had sought political mileage from the issue before the Lok Sabha elections but was now distancing the Centre from questions related to it.

Speaking to reporters in the Parliament House Complex, Priyanka linked the issue to the continuing disruption in Parliament during the Monsoon Session. She said the government has a responsibility to answer questions raised by lawmakers because Parliament is the forum where the executive is expected to explain its actions and respond to matters of public concern. According to her, the continued logjam demonstrated that the government was not adequately responding to issues raised by the Opposition. She argued that refusing to make a statement or provide answers undermined Parliament’s role in holding the government accountable.

Priyanka said the Ram Temple issue had a national dimension because donations had been collected from people across India. She stressed that many ordinary citizens contributed money because they were told it would be used for the temple, making the allegations concerning the donations a matter of wider public interest. She also referred to the religious significance of Lord Ram beyond India, mentioning devotees and communities in countries including Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. Against this backdrop, she questioned the government’s position that the matter was a state subject and therefore not something that needed to be addressed in Parliament.

Also Read: Akhilesh Yadav Targets UP Government Over Ram Temple Offerings Row, Law And Order

“When you had to run a campaign and take political mileage out of it before polls, it was not a state subject. Now it has become a state subject,” Priyanka said, targeting the BJP. She also pointed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s role in the inauguration of the Ram Temple, arguing that the event itself had national political significance. Since Modi is the prime minister of the country rather than a state, she questioned why the Centre was now distancing itself from questions surrounding the temple and the donations. Priyanka alleged that donations had “vanished” and demanded an explanation, although the allegations remain a matter of political dispute.

Priyanka also criticised the government over the handling of protests by young people, citing allegations of police action including lathi charges, tear gas and the use of pellet guns. She referred to an incident in Bihar and alleged that an AK-47 was used against protesters. She questioned who had ordered the action and said the government owed the public an explanation. Her comments came as the Opposition continued to demand answers from the government over the treatment of protesters and sought accountability from senior ministers.

The Congress leader also questioned Home Minister Amit Shah’s role in addressing the Parliament deadlock. She asked whether the home minister was not answerable to the public over the alleged police action against protesters and criticised the Opposition’s inability to obtain a statement from the government. Her remarks reflected the broader confrontation between the INDIA bloc and the government during the Monsoon Session, with Opposition parties seeking to raise issues concerning both the alleged temple donation irregularities and the handling of protests.

The INDIA bloc has said it will continue to press the government on the two issues, with Opposition parties demanding that Shah appear in Parliament and make a statement. The protests have continued for more than three weeks, contributing to disruptions in the House as the session approaches its end. Priyanka’s remarks further sharpened the political dispute, with the Congress questioning the government’s decision to describe the Ram Temple donation matter as a state issue while arguing that the temple had previously been presented as a matter of national political significance.

Also Read: Opposition MPs Hold Protest In Parliament Over Alleged Ram Temple Donation Theft