BJP accuses Opposition of insulting saints
The BJP on Monday accused the Opposition of insulting Hindu saints and hurting religious sentiments through its protest inside the Parliament House complex over the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and demanded strict action against those involved.
The remarks came after opposition MPs, including Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, protested in the Parliament House complex on Monday against the alleged theft of donations and police excesses against student protesters.
Addressing reporters in the Parliament House complex, BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh alleged that opposition leaders, by wearing saffron robes during the protest, made saffron and Hindu seers “objects of ridicule”.
“Wearing saffron robes and disguising yourselves as saints, you are standing inside the premises of the world’s largest democratic institution and making saffron an object of ridicule. You are making India’s saints a laughing stock. This is unfortunate. Strict action should be taken,” Chugh said.
He claimed that Hindus across the world are hurt and angry over the protest and asserted that there is widespread resentment against those responsible.
During their skit at the protest in Parliament on Friday, the MPs, including Gandhi, put money into donation boxes, while Independent MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, dressed in saffron robes, slipped money into his pockets to symbolise the alleged theft at the Ram Temple. Seers and Hindu outfits allege that he insulted Sanatan Dharma.
Chugh also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he has spent the last 12 years working to fulfil the aspirations of the country’s youth and has taken a “big-hearted” decision to forgive students and put them back on the path of progress.
BJP MP Dinesh Sharma alleged that the opposition disrupts democratic traditions instead of raising issues inside Parliament and described its members as “agenda-driven”, “issue-less” and “frustrated”.
“They are speed breakers in the country’s development journey. Every day they stage protests outside Parliament without any issue. The opposition should present its views inside the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha instead of raising slogans outside,” Sharma said.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey alleged that the opposition has no hesitation in mocking saffron robes and Hindu deities, while no party would dare to dress up as a Muslim cleric, make a mock structure of a mosque or make remarks against the Prophet.
Dubey also said the BJP opposes all forms of violence and described the slipper-throwing incident at Pappu Yadav as “unfortunate”, though he alleged that the incident was exaggerated.
A man threw a slipper at Yadav during a press conference at his residence on Sunday after the Independent MP defended his controversial skit in Parliament House complex on the alleged donation theft, leading to a scuffle between his supporters and the attacker.
Dubey also criticised the Congress over the erstwhile Haj subsidy, alleging financial irregularities, and accused previous Congress governments of discriminating against the RSS.
The Opposition MPs protested in front of Makar Dwar of Parliament with slogans such as ‘chhanda chor, gaddi chor’ and ‘Amit Shah sadan mein aao’ raised.
The MPs also kept donation boxes at the spot to symbolise the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple and lined up around them to raise slogans against the government. Some MPs also put cash in the box to symbolise the donations made and the “theft” that took place later.
Besides Priyanka Gandhi, SP’s Dimple Yadav and Dharmendra Yadav, TMC’s Mahua Moitra, JMM’s Mahua Maji, RSP’s NK Premchandran, among others, participated in the protest.
