Conversion row continues in Rajya Sabha

The row over conversions continued in the Rajya Sabha Thursday as members demanded an assurance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi that these will stop.

The issue, which has stalled the Rajya Sabha since Monday, was raised in the upper house again during zero hour.

Congress leader Anand Sharma accused the government of being arrogant in not calling the prime minister to the house.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley rejected the charge.

"The opposition is saying the government is being arrogant. When the session started, the prime minister came to the house and made a statement which should have had a sobering effect on the members," he said

(But) the statement was virtually rejected," Jaitley added.

"Now an issue is being raised. Let me assure the house that the government has no intention of being arrogant. We want house to function.

"The fact is one of the two houses is functioning normally, the other is not being allowed to function normally. It is the arrogance of numbers and not the arrogance of the government," the minister said.

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader SItaram Yechury called it a "tyranny of majority" which was making the other house function.

As members continued to insist that the prime minister be called, Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien adjourned the house till noon. - IANS