Congress plans to corner govt in Parliament over paper leaks, Ram Temple theft, inflation

New Delhi (TIP): The Congress on Thursday, J uly 16, announced an aggressive offensive against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government during the monsoon session of Parliament, saying it would raise issues ranging from the alleged ‘chanda chori’ at the Ram Temple, paper leaks and inflation to foreign policy, while opposing the Centre’s renewed push for the delimitation law and other key legislations.
The strategy was finalised at a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP), chaired by CPP chairperson Sonia Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence. Congress president and Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders, including KC Venugopal, Shashi Tharoor, Jairam Ramesh and Manish Tewari, attended the meeting.
Soon after the meeting, Kharge wrote to the PM urging him to convene an all-party meeting before the government reintroduces the proposed Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill on delimitation during the session.
Kharge reminded the PM that he had repeatedly sought an all-party meeting in March and April to discuss the government’s delimitation proposals, but those requests were not accepted. He also pointed out that the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, had failed to secure the mandatory two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha on April 17.
Referring to media reports that a revised Bill would now be introduced, Kharge said political parties should first be given sufficient time to study the revised proposals before Parliament takes them up.
In a post on X, Kharge said the Congress would hold the government accountable on what he described as issues directly affecting people’s lives. These include the alleged ‘chanda chori’ in the Ram Temple, paper leaks and the decline in the education system, institutional capture, political defections, corruption allegations, soaring prices, foreign policy failures, ethanol blending affecting crores of vehicle owners, deforestation and the alleged continued erosion of the rights of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and minorities.
Addressing a press conference, Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said the party had learnt that the Centre was preparing to bring back the delimitation Bill after failing to get it passed in April.
He said the Congress would oppose the Bill “with full strength” and work to keep the Opposition united on the issue. The party would also resist the proposed constitutional amendment relating to the removal of ministers and Chief Ministers facing prolonged judicial custody, he added.
Ramesh said discussions at the CPP meeting also covered the proposed ‘One Nation, One Election’ legislation, which is being examined by a Joint Parliamentary Committee.