Opposition Intensifies Attack on Govt, Demands Statement Against Conversions from PM Modi

NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha was repeatedly adjourned, Lok Sabha rent with slogans as the entire Opposition united in demanding a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on religious conversions.

“Dharma ka sauda band karo” slogans were raised by Opposition members who stormed the well of the Rajya Sabha refusing to accept the government’s offer for a debate as meaningless. The Opposition MPs pointed out both within and outside Parliament that the government had taken away from the importance of a discussion in the House, as “while we debate inside their members continue to make communal statements outside.” As some MPs were heard shouting, “they are setting the country on fire.”

The Opposition is particularly agitated by the religious conversion issue being stoked by the BJP and its MP’s including the controversial Yogi Adityanath who has spoken of organising a ‘big’ event on the Agra lines on Christmas day in Aligarh. Local BJP leaders have supported the call, as has the RSS and front organisations. They have promised to ‘convert’ 4000 Muslims and Christians to Hinduism.

Although the government has now withdrawn the alleged order asking schools to observe Good Governance Day on Christmas December 25, several MPs also raised the issue again pointing out that despite its denial the Human Resource Development Ministry had issued a circular that virtually directed the schools to remain open on the national holiday. CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury waved what he said was a copy of the circular in the Rajya Sabha to affirm that Minister Smriti Irani had indeed tried to cancel the Christmas day holiday for the schools.

Janata Dal(U) leader Sharad Yadav spoke for the opposition when he said, that there were repeated incidents of conversion. “No action is being taken by the government to stop this and you are asking us to just discuss it,” he said to the Chair.

The Opposition wanted a statement from the Prime Minister who, however, was not present in either House. In the Rajya Sabha Finance Minister Arun Jaitley tried to intervene but was shouted down by the Opposition parties in what has become a rare show of unity, lasting almost the entire winter session.

The BJP is extremely worried about this, as it was hoping to pass crucial Bills like the Insurance Bill with the help of the Congress party. However, the Congress MPs are also at their most belligerent with leader Anand Sharma joining hands with all the other parties to castigate the government on the issue of communalism.

Reports suggest that PM Modi has directed the BJP members and MPs in particular to speak out of turn. Under a gag order already, the MPs have been further admonished and told not to make any remarks that could further ammunition to the Opposition parties. However, after his one statement on the controversial remarks by minister of state Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti he has not spoken again with the Opposition targeting him every single day.

The Trinamool Congress MPs, a force in both Houses, have been carrying on dual protests. One with the rest of the opposition on the issue of communalism, and the other against the government for allegedly misusing the CBI in the Sarada scam. The party MPs have been staging regular walk outs and protests on the steps of Parliament for consecutive days now in what is a clear signal of non-cooperation at all levels to the central government.

The Opposition protests are expected to intensify in the following days. The government is being forced to retract from positions taken by the BJP leaders, the RSS and its front organisations at different levels. First the apology by the Prime Minister for the ministers remarks on “ramzaada and haramzada” that created a furore in Parliament and now on Minister Smriti Irani’s circular that has been withdrawn with the government acknowledging Christmas Day as a holiday. It is still holding out on the issue of conversions, trying to bring in its anti-conversion legislation on the back of this protest. However, the Opposition is not going to accept this piece of legislation that several MPs said was basically an attack on minorities.