Opposition attacks government over Agra conversions

Opposition parties in the Lok Sabha Thursday slammed the government over the incident of alleged forced conversions in Agra saying it was a ploy to "polarise" the nation and digress from important issues like black money.

Opening the debate, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said the government is trying to polarise the country and demanded a response from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the matter.

"This is against the constitution. It (the government) wants to digress from real issues like black money, rail fare hike and incursions by China. So, it has started this campaign for polarisation," he said.

The alleged forcible conversions of about 300 Muslims in Agra found its echo in parliament Wednesday as well as Thursday, with opposition members raising the issue in both the houses.

Nearly 300 members of some 60 Muslim families living in a settlement on Agra's outskirts were reported to have embraced Hinduism Monday.

Scindia said the government has pledged to protect the constitution, but in the last seven months, there has been an agenda for polarisation.

He mentioned the Trilokpuri riots in Delhi. "For the first time, there was a sense of insecurity when Tazia procession was taken out in Delhi during Muharram."

"Are we trying to create enmity between the communities," he asked.

"We want the prime minister to clarify. The prime minister has been asked by a senior leader in your party (BJP) to fulfil Rajdharma," he said, in reference to the statement by then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Modi, then the Gujarat chief minister, during the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav said if the country has to be strengthened, then discrimination based on caste, creed and race should be done away with.

"We should resolve not to discriminate on any issue," he said.

Janata Dal-Secular member and former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda said the agenda of the prime minister must be to bring the country forward.

Communist Party of India-Marxist's M. Salim said on the one hand, the prime minister talks about development but incidents like these across the country show the contrary.

"Our constitution does not permit such incidents," he said adding it was an attempt at polarization.

Trinamool Congress' Saugata Roy said Bhagwad Gita doesn't teach us this. "I cannot impose my views on other people.Let us give up this divisive attitude for political gains," he said.

Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Rajasthan, Sumedhanand Sarawati said incidents of conversion were rampant during the middle ages specially during Aurangzeb's rule.

"Gandhiji also said that Hindus were being converted to Christianity by veing offered incentives," he said.

"It is the people who began such conversions, who should stop this first. There was no need for this discussion," he added.

Another BJP MP Rajendra Agrawal said that the issue of forced conversions over the ages needs to be addressed. He gave examples of Kashi Vishwanath temple, saying: "It was painful to see a mosque built there."

"Till we find solutions to these problems, we cannot address the issue," he added.