E-Paper
Prayagraj court summons Pappu Yadav over Ram temple donation skit
The complaint was filed by Allahabad high court advocate and BJP legal cell’s Uttar Pradesh co-convenor Sushil Kumar Mishra before the court of additional chief judicial magistrate (ACJM) Yogesh Jain. After hearing the matter, the court found a prima facie case and issued notice to the MP under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), directing him to appear on August 11.
A Prayagraj court on Tuesday issued a notice to Independent MP from Bihar’s Purnia, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, after taking cognisance of a criminal complaint filed by a BJP functionary over his Parliament complex skit on the Ram temple donation issue. The court summoned him to appear on August 11.
The complaint was filed by Allahabad high court advocate and BJP legal cell’s Uttar Pradesh co-convenor Sushil Kumar Mishra before the court of additional chief judicial magistrate (ACJM) Yogesh Jain. After hearing the matter, the court found a prima facie case and issued notice to the MP under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), directing him to appear on August 11.
The complaint alleges that Yadav insulted Sanatan Dharma and hurt religious sentiments during an Opposition protest in the Parliament complex on Friday, in which he allegedly performed a skit linked to the Ram temple donation controversy, a senior police official said.
The complainant alleged that Yadav, dressed in saffron attire outside Parliament, hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus.
According to the complaint, on July 31, 2026, Yadav allegedly staged a scripted enactment at Makar Dwar inside the Parliament complex while dressed as a Hindu sadhu and carrying a photograph or idol of Lord Ram. He allegedly portrayed a temple priest collecting offerings from devotees and pocketing the money instead of depositing it in the donation box, while other MPs accompanied the act with slogans.
