New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said that the Opposition wants Parliament to discuss both the police action against NEET protesters and the controversy surrounding the theft of donations at the Ram Temple, stressing that despite only two days remaining in the Monsoon Session, the government still has enough time to take up both issues.
Yadav’s remarks came even as the government indicated its willingness to discuss the police action during the July 20 protest by NEET aspirants. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju told the Lok Sabha on Monday that Union Home Minister Amit Shah would make a statement on the issue in the House.
Speaking to reporters, Yadav said, “The Opposition has been demanding from the very first day that the Home Minister should make a statement and that the government should give its response. But the government is not ready. Even with only two days left, the government still has time to discuss both issues.”
Addressing the controversy over the alleged Ram Temple donation theft, the SP chief questioned whether the government or BJP leaders had any involvement in the matter and said that the issue had hurt the religious sentiments of devotees who contributed to the temple.
“It is not a normal matter that donations offered to Lord Ram have been stolen. The faith of crores of people has been hurt. The devotees who gave donations, offerings and contributions with such deep faith and sincerity- was the government or BJP people involved in it?” he asked.
The Kannauj MP further questioned why the government was unwilling to allow a discussion on the matter in Parliament, stating, “They have formed governments not once, but several times, by playing with people’s faith and devotion. Why does the government not want a discussion on this issue?”
The SP chief also raised the issue of police action against young people and students during the protest, saying that the matter was not limited only to NEET aspirants.
“And the second issue is the lathi-charge on young people and the way the children, youth and students were humiliated. They were not only NEET aspirants. Along with NEET students, all those who appeared for examinations across the country and in Uttar Pradesh, including those who could not take their exams because of paper leaks, were present there,” Yadav added.
The remarks came amid continued Opposition demands for the government to respond in Parliament to the issues surrounding the protest and the alleged Ram Temple donation controversy.
–IANS
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