Opposition Stages ‘Chanda Chori’ Protest Outside Parliament Against Ram Temple Funds Theft

Purnia MP Pappu Yadav, dressed in saffron robes, pretended to be a priest, following which Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, without naming anyone, said that some members had come in different attires, and that the dignity of parliament has to be maintained.

The Wire Staff

opposition stages ‘chanda chori’ protest outside parliament against ram temple funds theft

Opposition MPs stage a protest against the alleged embezzlement of donations from the Ayodhya Ram temple in the parliament premises on July 31, 2026. Photo: PTI/Arun Sharma.

New Delhi: Members of the opposition INDIA bloc on Friday (July 31) staged a protest outside parliament with a skit in which they enacted the Ayodhya Ram Temple embezzlement, with Purnia MP Pappu Yadav wearing saffron robes and acting as a “priest” stealing donations being contributed by other MPs, including Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi, LoP in Lok Sabha is seen participating in the skit in this screengrab from video posted by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on his X account. Purnia MP Pappu Yadav, dressed in saffron robes, pretended to be a priest.

The opposition protest took place at Makar Dwar, as opposition members stood with banners and posters against chadhava chori (offering theft). The opposition members also raised slogans against Union home minister Amit Shah for the police action against protesters last week.

Opposition members raised slogans saying “Amit Shah Sansad se gayab kyu?” (Why is Amit Shah missing in parliament?) Shah has not come to the House since the police action on protesters who had responded to the Cockroach Janta Party’s protest call in the national capital on July 20. Opposition MPs have been demanding a statement in the House on the brute force unleashed on the protesters.

VIDEO | A saffron-clad Independent MP Pappu Yadav along with other Opposition MPs enacted "theft" of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya in Parliament complex on Friday.
The MPs kept donation boxes in front of the Makar Dwar steps and Independent MP Rajesh Ranjan, known as… pic.twitter.com/rEmDFRQveF
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 31, 2026

The protest skit by the opposition members saw Yadav sitting on the floor with a donation box and pretending to be a priest as other members came and placed donations, acting as devotees. Leaders from other opposition parties including the Samajwadi Party were present in the symbolic protest.

When the house convened at 11 am, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, without naming anyone, said that some members had come in different attire, and said that the dignity of parliament had to be maintained both inside parliament and in its premises outside.

On Thursday (July 30) too the opposition had staged a protest, with Samajwadi Party MP Awadesh Kumar standing with a donation box over his head. Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav posted a video of the protest with a song, that said: “Jisne churaya chanda bata dijiye.” (Reveal who has stolen donations.)

भाजपा ‘अवध एक्सप्रेस’ से सत्ता में आई थी, ‘अयोध्या एक्सप्रेस’ से उसकी वापसी तय है।
दानपात्र में हाथ डालनेवाले भाजपाई और उनके संगी-साथियों के ख़िलाफ़ ‘दानपात्र’ के साथ सपा के सांसदों ने संसद के सामने जो सांकेतिक प्रदर्शन किया, उसे देखकर शर्मिंदगी में डूबे भाजपाई लोग, सबसे निगाह… pic.twitter.com/aIQ8i9mE2n
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) July 30, 2026

This article went live on July thirty-first, two thousand twenty six, at fifty-six minutes past nine at night.

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