New Delhi [India], August 13 : Samajwadi Party MPs on Thursday donated around ₹2,15,490 collected during their recent protest in Parliament, along with silver coins, at an ancient Lord Hanuman temple in Connaught Place, Delhi.
SP MPs said the amount had been contributed by Members of Parliament from across the country over the past few days.
"The donation collected, ₹2,15,490 and two silver coins, was offered to Lord Hanuman, and we got a receipt. We just want those responsible to be severely punished. We want to know the true extent of the donation theft and want an SIT investigation led by a sitting judge, as we have doubts about the current investigation. We brought the donation box as a sign of protest, but because people have faith, they started putting donations into it when they saw it. From this, you can imagine how much people must have donated out of faith when the temple was being built. That donation was stolen. We are here to ensure that doesn't happen and those responsible are punished," said MP Akshay Yadav.
SP MP Ruchi Veera said, ""The donation of ₹2,15,490, collected by Samajwadi Party MPs and other opposition MPs during this monsoon session, has been offered and dedicated today at the feet of Lord Hanuman at this ancient temple. We pray to God that Lord Hanuman protects the feelings and faith of Sanatan Dharma followers, which the BJP has tried to deceive, cheat, loot, and rob. We hope he will protect them. The message is that we have come to pray to Lord Hanuman today at his feet, just as he taught Ravana a lesson. We hope he will do the same to the people of the BJP and RSS who have worked to rob and deceive by selling Lord Ram. We hope he will use his mace against them."
The donation comes amid a political confrontation in Parliament over allegations of Ram temple donation theft, with Opposition MPs demanding that the issue be discussed in the House. The Opposition has maintained that its protest is not against the Ram temple itself or the faith associated with it, but against what it alleges was theft or misuse of donations collected in the name of the temple.
SP MPs and other Opposition leaders have held demonstrations inside the Parliament complex over the issue in recent days.
The ruling NDA has criticised the Opposition protests and accused the parties of disrupting parliamentary proceedings, while Opposition leaders have insisted that the allegations concern matters of public faith and accountability and therefore require discussion in Parliament.