New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) Hindu seers, priests, and others, including the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), have denounced the spectacle by some Opposition MPs on Friday at Parliament’s Makar Dwar that tried to enact alleged theft from Ayodhya’s Ram Temple donations, calling it an insult to religious sentiments.
Many well-known seers and office-bearers associated with the Ram Temple and other religious institutions called out the demonstration and demanded the expulsion of the MPs involved in the act.
VHP international joint general secretary Surendra Jain has urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to take stringent action against the MPs involved. In his video message on Friday, Jain has strongly condemned Pappu Yadav wearing the clothes of Hindu priests, along with the involvement of largely Congress and Samajwadi Party MPs in the protest.
On Friday morning, Independent MP from Bihar’s Purnia constituency, Rajesh Ranjan Yadav – better known as Pappu Yadav – sat at the entrance to Parliament, clad in saffron clothes with padlocked containers as donation boxes while other Opposition leaders were protesting around him.
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and some other protesting MPs were seen slipping currency notes into the containers, suggesting “donations”. Yadav suddenly sprang up to run away with the collection, implying donation theft, as some of the protesting MPs “chased” him. All this while, the protesting lawmakers were raising slogans on the alleged misappropriation of Temple funds.
In his statement, Jain has warned of possible legal action against the MPs, alleging that their action has hurt the sentiments of Hindus and insulted the seers. Drawing a parallel with the Ramayana, Jain compared the act with that of Ravana, who had attired himself as a saint to abduct Sita, saying that the protestors were doing the same to “try to hijack Hindu faith”.
Meanwhile, in another video statement, Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti national general secretary Jitendranand Saraswati has also denounced the act as an insult to Sanatan Dharma by wearing saffron robes during the protest. He said it is “unacceptable” that the Congress leaders and Yadav have “misused” Parliament premises.
Pointing out that the saints of Ayodhya have already given their response on the alleged “theft”, Saraswati stressed that it is being addressed by an SIT and the Supreme Court. He also sought an unconditional apology to the Hindus of the country from those involved.
Among others who have condemned the act were Mahamandaleshwar Shashikant Das and president of the Saryu Aarti Samiti, Mahamandaleshwar Narayan Giri Ji Maharaj, several priests, seers, and office-bearers.
— IANS
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