The religious conversion ceremony in Aligarh has been put off, but the issue continued to rock Rajya Sabha putting a question mark on the fate of the pro reforms Insurance Bill.
Despite the government's damage control efforts -- prime minister Narendra Modi has asked his party MPs not to deviate from the economic reforms agenda just as the RSS stepped in to call off the re-conversions of Muslims to Hindus -- the standoff showed no signs of ebbing stalling business in the House. The Opposition, united on the conversions issue, is insisting that the prime minister speak on the conversions issue, a demand on which the government is in no mood to relent.
With just four sittings left in the winter session, time is running out for passage of the Insurance Bill, which was slated for Tuesday. Sources said the government was ready with a "plan B and C" but refused to divulge its details.
At a meeting of senior ministers in the morning, Modi said the government had done nothing wrong and there was no need to be on the defensive, according to sources. He also said that there should be awareness about facts. The ministers were of the view that there was no need to succumb to the "pressure tactics" of the Opposition parties.
Government sources made it clear that there was no question of the prime minister speaking as this would lead to similar demands being made on other issues in the future. Besides, the government felt that the prime minister had the ability of connecting directly with the people through rallies, "Mann ki baat" on radio or twitter and spoke in Parliament when needed, they said.
Prime minister Narendra Modi is expected to be present in Rajya Sabha on Thursday during question hour. The Opposition is all set to resume its uproar over the conversions issue.
As the House met for the day, Opposition members were on their feet. Congress leader Anand Sharma asked the leader of the House Arun Jaitley to spell out if the Prime Minister will come to the House to make a statement. "If the PM doesnt come to the House, wont let it function," he said. The Prime Minister was in Lok Sabha for question hour.
CPM's Sitaram Yechury also asked the government to tell the House if the prime minister would speak.
After frequent adjournments amidst the furore as Opposition members trooped into the well of the House, Rajya Sabha was finally adjourned after lunch without transacting any business.
Parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu told reporters later that the conversion episode was being exaggerated as conversions had been going on. Asked if the government planned to bring an anti-conversion law, he said it would not act in a hurry and any such step will be taken after consideration. He took objection to the Opposition members for describing the prime minister as an "NRI PM" and seeking the "darshan" of the PM.
Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad demanded that Congress president Sonia Gandhi should make a statement condemning the "unparliamentary" remarks that her party members in the Rajya Sabha made against the prime minister.
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