Parliament Standoff Escalates: NDA, Opposition Clash Over Student Protests, Exam Irregularities & Ram Temple Donation Row | Video

New Delhi: The Parliament deadlock escalated sharply on Tuesday as NDA and Opposition INDIA bloc MPs came face-to-face at Makar Dwar, trading slogans and accusations over police action against protesting students, alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations and the purported theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Security personnel formed a cordon between the rival groups as MPs from both sides held simultaneous protests. The NDA accused Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi of running away from a debate on student protests, while the Opposition demanded that Union Home Minister Amit Shah explain alleged police excesses against students in Delhi.

The confrontation outside Parliament mirrored the stalemate inside the Lok Sabha, where proceedings were disrupted within minutes of the House assembling

Speaker Om Birla appealed to both sides to allow Parliament to function, saying the government had agreed to a discussion on student issues and that Shah was ready to respond.

"I feel anguished when the House does not function," Birla said, urging MPs to cooperate and allow important Bills to be debated.

The NDA MPs marched from the Parliament Library to Makar Dwar after their weekly parliamentary meeting, carrying placards targeting Gandhi and shouting slogans including "Rahul Gandhi Jawab Do" and "Rahul Gandhi Bhago Maat".

Their protest focused on the police action against student and job aspirants in Jharkhand on Monday, where demonstrators protesting alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations were stopped from marching towards the Assembly with water cannons and lathi-charge.

The Opposition MPs, including Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, held placards demanding accountability for alleged police action against students in Delhi last month. Their banner carried the slogan "Order kisnay diya?" (Who gave the order?).

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge rejected the government's charge that the Opposition was avoiding debate and said the party's demands had remained unchanged.

He said the Congress wanted a statement from Shah on the alleged lathi-charge and firing on students, including the reported use of pellet guns, and accountability over the injuries suffered by protesters. The party has also demanded a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the alleged "Chanda Chori" involving donations to the Ram temple in Ayodhya and an apology.

"These three issues have been raised from the beginning, remain relevant now, and will continue to persist until they are resolved," Kharge said.

The government maintained that it had offered precisely what the Opposition was demanding — a detailed discussion followed by a reply from Shah. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said Shah was ready to respond to all issues relating to student protests.

The Opposition disputed the government's framing of the Jharkhand protests as an alternative issue. Congress MP KC Venugopal accused Shah of attempting to divert attention from the alleged police excesses in Delhi.

"You can't hide atrocities against students in Delhi by mentioning students' protests in Jharkhand. This is a face-saving exercise by Amit Shah," Venugopal said.

The dispute over Shah's absence also remained a flashpoint. The Home Minister was absent from the Lok Sabha on Tuesday despite two Bills being listed against his name. The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, was subsequently moved by Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai and passed by voice vote amid Opposition sloganeering, without a debate.

The confrontation outside Parliament briefly brought the rival camps within shouting distance. BJP MPs also confronted Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, with BJP MP Mukesh Dalal demanding that Rahul Gandhi go to Jharkhand.

Vadra later said the Opposition's protests had forced the ruling side to take up the issue. “Now they should come forward and make a statement," she said.