NEW DELHI, Dec 15:
Rajya Sabha today saw uproar and repeated adjournments as Opposition pressed for an immediate debate on issue of conversion and reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading to a deadlock with Government insisting Home Minister Rajnath Singh would give the reply.
Finance Minister and Leader of the House Arun Jaitley said the Government was ready for debate on any issue as he asked Opposition if it wanted “total ban on religious conversion or forced conversion”, either of which was acceptable to the Government.
Opposition unitedly voiced concern over reports of conversion in Agra recently and wanted no less than the Prime Minister himself to assure the House and the country that such things would not be allowed.
The House could not transact any business as it was adjourned repeatedly four times till 3 pm even though there was an agreement to hold an urgent discussion today only.
Members from parties like Congress, Left and TMC said the issue was serious and only the Prime Minister should reply. They were in the Well shouting slogans.
Deputy Chairman P J Kurein said he cannot ask the Government which particular minister or the Prime Minister should reply.
He noted the Home Minister was sitting in the House and ready to reply. “Do you think he (Home Minister) is not competent to reply,” Kurein asked the Opposition.
Attacking the Opposition, Jaitley said it was only interested in distraction and not the debate.
“In the morning they wanted suspension of agenda to discuss this issue, we agreed…Some people only want to disrupt the House,” he said.
This led to a deadlock and the House was adjourned till 3 PM.
When the House reassembled at 3 PM, similar scenes were witnessed leading to adjournment of the House for the day.
Earlier, at 2 PM the Chair wanted to take up the Calling Attention on renaming of the domestic terminal of Hyderabad airport, which Congress has been raising for some time.
Anand Sharma (Cong) raised the conversion issue saying it was being done in an organised way.
He demanded that the Prime Minister should assure the House and country on the serious issue.
Other Opposition leaders also made similar demands.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi asked Opposition why it was running away from debate.
Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) said there was no meaning of discussion until the Prime Minister himself gives assurance.
“We are not a talking shop…We want assurance of action,” he said.
Derek O’Brien (TMC) said the Prime Minister has to be in the House otherwise there could be no discussion.
Kurein said that in Parliamentary democracy debate and discussions should lead to solution. He said the issue pertains to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Sharad Yadav (JD-U) said till the Prime Minister took strict action, nothing would happen as some Opposition members alleged that certain members of ruling party were involved in the matter.
Yadav asked what action the ruling party was taking against its members.
To this, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Venkaiah Naidu assured the House that Government would take appropriate action and nobody should be worry.
D Raja (CPI) also demanded presence of the Prime Minister in the House.
Anand Sharma also said if the Prime Minister took action, it would have an impact. (PTI)
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