Rajya Sabha adjourned again over religious conversion issue

The Upper House was adjourned to 3 p.m. after Opposition members continued to protest the religious conversion issue

The logjam in the Rajya Sabha over the conversion issue continued Monday as the opposition once again demanded a debate on the religious conversion issue, forcing deputy chairman P J Kurien to adjourn the House to 3 p.m.

Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Naresh Agarwal said he has submitted a notice to suspend all work and take up the debate.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, however, said that the notice cannot be admitted since the issue has already been raised once.

Parliament members have slammed the government for not fulfilling its promises but instead going ahead with the 'Ghar Wapsi' (re-conversion) to Hinduism agenda.

"They promised they will give farmer one and a half times returns for their input cost, they promised bringing back black money, and creating jobs. None of this was done but they are going ahead with reconversions," said SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav.

He was joined by other members, including Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav and communist leader Sitaram Yechury.

"We are not running away from a discussion," said Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien. "We want a discussion on the issue of conversion. We want the PM to come to the house."

Congress leader Anand Sharma said that "Opposition is not running away from a debate, it is the prime minister, who is shying away resulting in the deadlock."

Earlier in the morning, Opposition members gathered near the chairman's podium, displaying placards and shouting slogans.