Conversions, schools open on Christmas Day stall Houses

Parliament witnessed disruptions on Monday over the issue of forcible religious conversion as well as the government's purported circular to schools to stay open on Christmas Day.

The day's proceedings were washed out in the Rajya Sabha, where the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not enjoy a majority, and the Lok Sabha was adjourned briefly when Opposition members protested against the move to foist Good Governance Day on December 25, a religious festival holiday.

Trinamool Congress MPs protested in both Houses against the "political misuse" of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) with the objective to "subjugate" the West Bengal government. The CBI is investigating the Saradha chit fund scam and last week arrested several TMC leaders, including West Bengal's Transport Minister Madan Mitra.

With the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha refusing to allow the House to function until Prime Minister Narendra Modi provided an assurance that such forcible religious conversion will not be allowed, legislative business could be stonewalled.

The Insurance Amendment Bill is listed to be taken up in the House on Tuesday. The government is firm on bringing in the Bill. The Left and Janata parties have resolved to prevent it from being taken up until the  issue of reconversion, or  gharvapasi, is taken up for discussion.

The Congress' Anand Sharma and Sitaram Yechury of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) iterated no other business was as urgent as exposing the communal agenda unleashed across the country. The irresponsible statements of BJP MPs and ministers intending to polarise people and now the government circular were pointed to.

Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley's statement that it was up to to the Opposition whether it wanted to bring in a law against conversions and reconversions inflamed tempers. "It is clear that the Opposition does not want a discussion, we have agreed to one on the issue, but now they want a PM statement," Jaitley said.

Government floor managers indicated the Opposition ploy to demand a discussion and then escalate it to a demand for an assurance by the prime minister would not work.

Several Bills, including those on insurance, coal block allotments, and payments and settlements, are due for clearance in the upper House. Opposition unity on this "sensitive" issue could play a spoiler if not resolved at the earliest.

The TMC on Monday had come prepared to raise protests, first outside Parliament wearing black shawls and holding placards and then indoors. Party MPs raised slogans in both Houses against the government, alleging that the CBI was being used for political vendetta.

TMC members in the Lok Sabha said when the BJP was in opposition, it used to dub the CBI as the Congress Bureau of Investigation. Even the Supreme Court had termed the CBI a 'caged parrot' and a former head of the agency was made to recuse himself from the 2G spectrum case, said Saugata Roy. He demanded the CBI should no longer remain under the control of the prime minister and its operational control should be handed over to the anti-corruption watchdog, the Lokpal.

In the Rajya Sabha Derek O'Brien accused BJP President Amit Shah of "writing the script of the CBI." Jaitley's statement that the Saradha probe was being monitored by the Supreme Court and not the government did not placate the TMC.

With both Houses rocked over celebrating  Good Governance Day on December 25, the government denied the charge. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu said Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani had informed him there was no Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) circular asking schools to remain open on Christmas Day.

"It is voluntary in nature. It is not mandatory. There is no question of using force," he said in the Lok Sabha. "All schools closed for X'Mas, essay competition only online," Irani tweeted earlier in the day.

A circular issued by Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti had last week said former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's birthday would be celebrated as 'Good Governance Day' and had asked all the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas to "ensure" celebration of the day. It said the CBSE would also be organising competitions on good governance on December 24 and 25 and it was open to all schools under the board.

On a day of protests, the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, too, raised the issue of the Railway Board examination held yesterday, which allegedly had a question targeting party chief Jayalalithaa. Jaitley said the matter would be looked into and resolved.

Whether the Opposition unity remains intact or parties break ranks to help the government clear its legislative business will be evident on the floor of the House on Tuesday.