NEW DELHI : 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. (AGENCIES)
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