New Delhi,Dec 11: The religious conversion of 100 people in Agra drew sharp protests in Parliament on Wednesday with the Opposition demanding an explanation from the Modi government.
An angry Opposition stalled the proceedings in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, demanding action against some RSS-affiliated organisations, which were allegedly carrying out the conversions.
In Rajya Sabha, BSP chief Mayawati alleged that RSS-affiliate Bajrang Dal converted some Muslim families to Hinduism in Agra by force and allurement.
It was the responsibility of both the Centre and the state government to safeguard life, property and religion of all, she said. Mayawati got instant support from the members of the Congress, Left and Trinamool, who shouted slogans demanding an explanation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The House and the country need reassurance that the Constitution will not be violated. It is a diabolical plan by the BJP,” said Anand Sharma, the Deputy Leader of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha.
“The Prime Minister must clarify,” said Left leader Sitaram Yechury. The issue of conversions will be taken up by the Opposition during a discussion on “rising communal incidents in India” scheduled in the Rajya Sabha next Wednesday.
The concerted attack by the Opposition appeared to push the government on the back foot. BJP’s Muslim face and Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi sought to pacify the Opposition by asserting his government’s commitment to secularism.
However, Union Minister Ram Shankar Katheria claimed that the conversions were voluntary. “I don’t think religious conversion was done forcibly; they willingly converted is what I got to know,” said Katheria, who represents Agra in the Lok Sabha.
Outside Parliament, the Congress said the conversion issue was a ploy of the Modi government to divert the attention of the nation from key issues such as unemployment and price rise.
“The Modi government’s agenda is to confuse, confound and create chaos. It wants to divert, digress and depart from key issues,” AICC spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said.
Reports from Agra said a police complaint has been filed against the conversion drive held on Monday.
A case has been registered on the basis of a complaint by a villager that 57 Muslim families from a rag-pickers' colony were given inducements like identity cards for availing welfare schemes, to convert to Hinduism.
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