RS adjourned thrice during pre-lunch sitting after oppn uproar

Opposition members today strongly raised the issue of religious conversions and a report that government schools have been asked to observe 'Good Governance Day' on Christmas Day, leading to three adjournments in Rajya Sabha during the pre-lunch session.
Despite Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's statement that the report regarding observance of Good Governance Day, "is factually false", almost entire Opposition, including Congress, JD-U, Left parties and TMC, kept raising the issue.
Jaitley said HRD Minister Smriti Irani "has informed me that no such instruction has been issued, no school will function (that day). Only an online essay competition (is being organised). That's all."

Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) said there are reports that schools have been asked to remain open on December 25 to observe Good Governance Day.
Congress Deputy Leader Anand Sharma said he has given a notice under rule 267 for suspension of business to discuss the forced conversions being carried out by RSS affiliates.
"It is a very serious issue," he said, adding coordinated effort was being made to divide and polarise the society on communal lies by an outfit which calls itself a cultural organisation.

"An explosive situation is being created in the country," he said, adding, "We don't want their designs to succeed."

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said a discussion on conversion is listed on December 17 and Congress can raise the issue then.
Yechury said his party and others have also given notice to suspend business as "there is no further business which is important to us."
He said the forcible conversion and other incidents were part of a "package" to shred the Constitution's secular character.