Congress and Ram Mandir Trust finances have become the latest flashpoint in Parliament’s Monsoon Session. On Wednesday, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Syed Naseer Hussain moved a notice under Rule 267 seeking suspension of the day’s listed business for an immediate discussion on the functioning and accounts of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The move adds to an earlier Rule 267 notice submitted by Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala on July 20, making it two separate Congress attempts this session to force a debate on the temple trust in the Upper House.
What Did the Latest Congress and Ram Mandir Notice Say?
In his notice to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, Hussain sought suspension of Zero Hour, Question Hour and other listed business. He asked the House to discuss the need for the government to institute a comprehensive independent audit into the accounts of the trust. He also sought clarity on the existing framework of governmental oversight over the trust’s functioning.
This is not the first Congress and Ram Mandir related notice this session. On July 20, Surjewala had asked the Chair to suspend the day’s business to discuss alleged embezzlement and misuse of donations. His notice referred to alleged irregularities in land purchases, construction related commissions, and the handling of gold, silver and other valuable offerings. He said the trust was constituted by the government under Supreme Court directions in the 2019 Ayodhya verdict, and that both the government and the trust carried a duty of transparency.
Separately, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal had earlier moved an Adjournment Motion Notice in the Lok Sabha on the same subject, describing the allegations as a matter needing an independent probe under a sitting Supreme Court judge. That notice is a Lok Sabha mechanism distinct from Rule 267, which applies only in the Rajya Sabha.
Why Does Congress Keep Choosing Rule 267 for the Ram Mandir Trust Issue?
Rule 267 lets a Rajya Sabha member seek suspension of listed business, with the Chairman’s consent, to raise an urgent matter. Unlike the Lok Sabha’s adjournment motion, it has no constitutional backing under Article 75(3) and depends entirely on the Chair’s discretion.
- It allows Opposition parties to demand same-day discussion on urgent issues.
- Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan clarified in December 2025 that discussion under the rule can only relate to items already listed in the day’s agenda.
- Historically, admission of Rule 267 notices has been infrequent, with previous Chairs also rejecting most such requests.
What Has the Government or Trust Said So Far?
Neither the Union government nor the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has issued an official public response to the specific July 29 notice at the time of writing. This has not been officially confirmed by either party. The Monsoon Session, which began on July 20 and is scheduled to run till August 13, has already seen repeated disruptions over the Ram Mandir donation issue alongside the NEET-UG paper leak controversy.
The Congress and Ram Mandir Trust standoff in the Rajya Sabha reflects a broader pattern of Opposition parties using Rule 267 to press for urgent discussions that the Chair has often declined to admit. Whether Wednesday’s notice fares differently will depend on the Chairman’s ruling in the days ahead, as the Monsoon Session continues.