People celebrate Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as education ministe

NEW DELHI: The opposition may have lost a politically incendiary issue with the end of the youth protest, but it is set to move to another controversy that has rocked the country – the Ayodhya donation theft.When the Parliament session started, the alleged Ram Janmabhoomi embezzlement was listed as the top item to target BJP – before the eruption of the youth protest decisively shifted the focus.The aftermath of the paper leak agitation will continue to form the backdrop of what transpires in the coming week. Rahul Gandhi said the opposition holds home minister Amit Shah “directly responsible” for authorising “lethal weapons” against students. “That is going to be a major issue in Parliament,” he said.

He also demanded that PM Narendra Modi apologise to students.INDIA bloc-plus will Monday brainstorm on the next course of action in view of Modi govt seeking to bring a bill on fast-track courts for paper leaks.The anti-BJP camp has been pushing for a discussion on leaks, and govt had shown an inclination to accept an “adjournment motion”. But now, sources said, it is possible that govt will push to club the two.But once the paper leak row is put to bed, sources said the opposition will train its focus on Ayodhya. Congress and SP have been adamant on taking it up, and it has also caught the fancy of other allies like the Left.The anti-BJP camp views the row as a potent weapon to corner the governing party on its home turf of Hindu faith, especially with the embroiling of RSS, VHP and the handpicked temple trust in the row. With elections due in UP and Uttarakhand in early 2027, the opposition is hopeful it will help them with majority community voters.It is not clear how the opposition wants to address the issue – if it wants a normal discussion or would push for an “adjournment motion” that govt would be reluctant to accept because of its symbolic significance and practical implications.Strategists are keeping an eye on the Indo-US trade deal, which has drawn criticism from farmers’ groups for concessions made on the agriculture front in the framework agreement. Any movement on the issue could trigger protests, which the opposition would like to seize upon. The controversy over ethanol fuel is also high on the opposition’s agenda.