Kolkata : Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy defended Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Purnia MP Pappu Yadav on Sunday regarding the FIR registered against them, stating their protest was justified and accusing the BJP of filing cases against its critics.
Roy stated, “Rahul Gandhi and Pappu Yadav were doing the right thing. The protest was justified. This is the BJP’s practice–if anyone opposes them, they file an FIR.”
The statements followed the Varanasi Police registering an FIR against the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and others after a complaint concerning a protest by opposition MPs.
The dispute arose from the protest on 31 July when Pappu Yadav, dressed in saffron robes resembling a temple priest, and other opposition MPs performed a skit involving a collection box and allegations of corruption inside the Parliament complex.
Earlier in the day, Congress MP Pawan Khera commented on the FIRs, saying the BJP-led government was ignoring issues such as the alleged Ram Mandir donation “theft”, which he asserted had hurt devotees’ sentiments.
Khera remarked, “FIRs are being filed on MPs, but the government forgets that when donations are stolen, it also hurts the sentiments of devotees.”
The BJP condemned the demonstration, accusing opposition leaders of insulting Sanatan Dharma and religious figures and calling for strict action against those responsible.
The incident has sparked a political controversy, with several police complaints filed against opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Pappu Yadav, and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.
