Adamant on Modi’s reply, Opposition stalls RS again

Girja Shankar Kaura

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 18

The deadlock in the Rajya Sabha continued for the fourth consecutive day today as the Opposition kept demanding reply by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a debate on religious conversions which the government steadfastly rejected.

This forced the chair to adjourn the House twice — once until noon and then till 2 pm. When the House re-assembled after lunch, the Opposition continued to press for a reply from the Prime Minister, forcing the Rajya Sabha to be adjourned for the day.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh pointed out that the matter was related to his ministry, he would have replied to the debate and with the Prime Minister present, he could have intervened if need be. But the Opposition was not satisfied, which forced Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien to adjourn the House for the day.

Though the Prime Minister was present in the House during the Question Hour, the proceedings were consumed by arguments between the Opposition and treasury benches over procedures of a debate on the communal incidents in the country. Thursday is a day when questions related to the portfolios held by the Prime Minister are listed for reply.

“There is resistance on an issue. Now the prime minister is here, we have no intention to disrespect him. He must respond,” Congress leader Anand Sharma said. The government, however, slammed the Opposition, saying it appeared to be only interested in creating roadblocks in the functioning of the House. Ruling out a reply by the PM, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkiah Naidu said as per the rules the Home Minister would reply after the debate as the issue relates to his ministry.