Congress defends Rahul Gandhi after FIR over Parliament protest, backs delimitation stance

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Pawan Khera on Sunday defended leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi after an FIR was registered against him and other opposition MPs over a protest linked to the alleged misuse of Ram Temple donations, saying the BJP-led government was ignoring the real issue instead of addressing the allegations. His remarks came after Varanasi Police registered an FIR against Rahul Gandhi, Pappu Yadav and Awadhesh Prasad following a complaint by a group of seers over a skit staged in the Parliament complex. Speaking to reporters, Khera said the government was focusing on filing cases against opposition leaders while overlooking allegations related to temple donations. "FIRs are being filed on MPs, but the government forgets that when donations are stolen, it also hurts the sentiments of devotees," Khera said. The controversy stems from a demonstration in Parliament in which Purnia MP Pappu Yadav, dressed as a temple priest and other opposition MPs staged a symbolic performance involving a donation box while alleging corruption in Ram Temple donations. The protest prompted BJP leaders, including Bansuri Swaraj, to file complaints in Delhi, accusing the opposition leaders of hurting Hindu religious sentiments. Apart from the Varanasi FIR, another police complaint has also been filed against Pappu Yadav in Delhi.

Khera also supported Rahul Gandhi's recent remarks opposing the proposed delimitation exercise, saying states likely to lose political representation should oppose the move. "All those who are concerned about their states should oppose delimitation," Khera said. His remarks come amid renewed political debate over the proposed Delimitation Bill. During a recent visit to Tamil Nadu, Rahul Gandhi alleged that delimitation was an attempt to reduce the state's political influence. "There is an attempt by the BJP to carry out delimitation. Delimitation is designed to disenfranchise people and take away the political power of the people of Tamil Nadu. This is a BJP conspiracy... Anyone who supports delimitation is betraying Tamil Nadu, betraying the future of Tamil Nadu, and allowing the RSS and BJP to attack the people of Tamil Nadu and its future," Rahul Gandhi had said.

The FIR was lodged at Kotwali police station in Varanasi after a group of seers accused Rahul Gandhi, Pappu Yadav and Awadhesh Prasad of hurting religious sentiments through the Parliament protest. According to police, the case has been registered under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including promoting enmity between groups, deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelings, and offences committed with common intention.

The complaint was filed by Patalpuri Peethadhishwar Jagadguru Balak Devacharya, who alleged that the use of saffron robes and the donation-box skit insulted the Sanatan tradition and Lord Ram. "Pappu Yadav wore Bhagwa and posed as a sadhu while staging a drama on the Parliament premises to portray donation theft. Rahul Gandhi and Awadhesh Prasad made gestures of putting donations into a donation box. They used Bhagwa for a political demonstration, mocked the Sanatan tradition and Lord Ram, and insulted the faith of crores of Hindus," Devacharya said. He further alleged that the performance was a coordinated attempt to mock Sanatan traditions and warned of protests if action was delayed. Police said the investigation into the case has begun.