Conversions, black money rock House

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 22

Adopting aggressive tactics and shifting strategy, the Opposition today stalled proceedings in Parliament on issues such as bringing back black money stashed overseas, creation of jobs and the religious conversions.

The penultimate day of the winter session saw the opposition move in unison in either House, demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi reply to a debate on the conversions as also what is being done to address promises made to create jobs and bring back black money.

As a result, attempts by the government to get the Bill amending insurance laws and permitting greater foreign direct investment passed in the Rajya Sabha remained unfulfilled. The theoretical possibility of getting it passed tomorrow, the last day of the current session, remains. In a show of solidarity that extended outside too, different parties belonging to the erstwhile Janata Parivar staged a “mahadharna” at Jantar Mantar that was addressed by socialist leaders and attended by hundreds of their supporters.

Over the last week, the opposition, which has greater numerical strength in the Rajya Sabha, has forced adjournments of the House on the issue of religious conversions and today the matter was raised in the Lok Sabha in the light of the news reports of conversions of Dalit Christians to Hinduism in Kerala.

Rejecting the demand that the Prime Minister make a statement, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the government did not support conversion or re-conversion. He said if any individuals were violating the law, state governments were empowered to take action.

Members occupying the opposition and ruling coalition benches countered each other leading to two adjournments in the Lok Sabha. Several parties, including the Congress, the TMC, the Left, the RJD, the JD-U and the JD-S, staged a walkout over rejection of their demand.

The Rajya Sabha also could not transact any business as members belonging to the SP, the JD-U and the TMC raised tumult and slogans. They also held placards demanding that the Prime Minister bring black money back and reply in the House. After four adjournments, the House was adjourned for the day.

Leader of the House and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the notice for the motion was "inadmissible" as a discussion had already taken place on the issue. He cited rule 169 which states that a discussion once held cannot be done again.

Congress Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma demanded that the Prime Minister should come to the House and reply to the members after hearing them on the issue of conversions.

"The Prime Minister should assure the House on conversions. The government is running away from a discussion on the issue, it is not the opposition which is running away. It is unfortunate," he said.