The Uttar Pradesh Assembly was disrupted on Tuesday due to a protest by Samajwadi Party members over the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The protest began as soon as the House met at 11 am, with Leader of Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey demanding a discussion on the matter, describing it as a matter of faith.
The Speaker, Satish Mahana, did not allow the discussion, prompting Samajwadi Party members to enter the Well and raise slogans against the BJP government. In response, the Speaker asked the agitating members to produce receipts if they had donated any amount for the temple construction. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna also hit back at the Samajwadi Party, referring to the firing on karsevaks during its regime and asserting that the party had nothing to do with the faith of the people.
The Speaker eventually adjourned the House till 12.20 pm, bringing the Question Hour to an abrupt end. Despite the protests, the Assembly managed to pass 11 bills by voice vote. These included the Uttar Pradesh Public Services Tribunal (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which raises the retirement age of the tribunal’s chairman from 65 to 67 years and that of vice-chairmen and members from 62 to 65 years.
Another bill passed was an amendment to the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code, granting land ownership rights to displaced families settled in the state after the Partition and the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. The passage of these bills took place amidst the uproar, with the Samajwadi Party members continuing to protest the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple.
The incident highlights the ongoing tensions between the Samajwadi Party and the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, with the opposition party accusing the ruling party of mishandling the temple donations and the BJP hitting back at the Samajwadi Party’s past record on the issue.
