Patna, August 22, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Saturday criticized the Congress over the Vande Mataram controversy, questioned RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav's support for street protests and called for dialogue between the government and protesters on reservation-related demands.
Speaking to the media in Patna, Chirag accused the Congress of repeatedly raising issues in Parliament that disrupted proceedings and diverted attention from other matters. He alleged that the opposition kept the Vande Mataram issue alive during the Monsoon Session instead of allowing Parliament to function normally.
The Union Minister also questioned Tejashwi Yadav's decision to visit students and young protesters at their demonstration site. He said the Leader of the Opposition had a greater responsibility to raise public concerns inside the Assembly, particularly when the House was in session.
Chirag said that, as part of the government, he considered it his responsibility to ensure that concerns not reaching the administration were brought before it. He argued that Tejashwi could have used the Assembly to raise the protesters' demands more effectively.
On the reservation-related protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, Chirag adopted a conciliatory approach, acknowledging that peaceful protest was a democratic right. At the same time, he described reservation as a sensitive issue and said misunderstandings could create apprehension and lead to wider public anger.
He urged protesters to clearly communicate their demands to the government so that authorities could respond and explain their position.
According to reports, more than 50 people associated with the reservation protest were detained after gathering at Jantar Mantar. Police reportedly said permission had been granted for the demonstration at Ramlila Maidan, but protesters assembled at Jantar Mantar instead.
Chirag also referred to the 10 per cent reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), noting that reservation based on economic criteria was already in place.
On rising sugar prices, the Union Minister acknowledged that the matter was a concern for the government. He said discussions were underway to contain prices and attributed part of the increase to lower-than-expected sugar production.
Chirag described the price rise as temporary and said the Center had already taken several measures to address the situation.