NEW DELHI: Parliament was thrown into disarray yesterday as opposition lawmakers protested at mass conversions to Hinduism, with the uproar threatening to disrupt Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s legislative agenda.
Angry lawmakers stormed the well of parliament’s upper house forcing its shutdown for the day. They demanded Modi make a statement on reports of poor Muslims being coerced into converting to India’s majority religion.
“The house will not run until the prime minister comes for discussion over the communal incidents and forced conversions issue,” Derek O’Brien, from the regional opposition All India Trinamool Congress, told reporters.
The warning threatens to disrupt the Modi government’s plans to pass a series of major economic reforms through parliament, with just four days of the current session remaining. The Hindu right-wing government, which swept to power at national elections in May on a pledge to reform and revive the economy, wants to pass a bill to open the insurance sector to foreign investment.
The government was also inching closer to finalising agreement with India’s states on taxation reform by introducing a national sales tax, according to local media reports yesterday.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was hopeful of tabling a constitutional amendment in the current parliament for introduction of the long-awaited goods and services tax (GST), to replace a myriad of overlapping state duties that deter investment.
A hardline group linked to Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been accused of converting some 50 slum-dwelling Muslim families last week in the Taj Mahal city of Agra. One of the converts said they were promised ration cards and other financial incentives if they went ahead with the conversions.
A BJP lawmaker has since announced plans for an even biggger conversion event of Christians and Muslims on Christmas Day in the northern town of Aligarh.
Meanwhile, Nand Kishore, the main accused in the religious conversion case, surrendered in Agra yesterday. He was the most wanted accused named in the police complaint and carried a reward of `12,000 on his head.
Critics say Hindu hardline groups have become more emboldened since the BJP was elected, with rising communal tensions in the Hindu-majority but multi-faith country.
Modi’s BJP won the biggest mandate in 30 years in May, raising hopes it would have the numbers to control parliament and ensure the smooth passage of legislation. But the BJP lacks a majority in the upper house, where Congress and regional lawmakers have combined to protest at a range of issues.
Meanwhile, the controversy over Navodaya Vidyalayas being asked to remain open on Christmas to mark ‘Good Governance Day’ figured in parliament again yesterday, with the opposition accusing the government of “misleading” both houses.
According to reports, the government issued a circular asking the Navodaya Vidyalayas to remain open on Christmas, Day (December 25) to observe ‘Good Governance Day’.
The day also happens to be the birthday of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the National Democratic Alliance government has decided to celebrate it as “Good Governance Day”. Members had on Monday questioned the government on the issue, and the government denied asking schools to stay open on December 25.AFP/Agencies
