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| Politics
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| In Parliament, PM Modi Confronts |
| In Parliament, PM Modi Confronts Opposition Demands for Statement on Conversions
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| INDIA
, 18-December-2014
2:57:50 AM |
| Attacking the ruling BJP on religious conversions, the opposition today demanded a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was present in the Rajya Sabha.
The chaos over conversions stalled proceedings in the first half of a day the government has set aside for its key reform, the Insurance Bill, in the Upper House.
The Congress demanded PM Modi's response to a debate on "rising instances of communal violence", but Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the leader of the house, rejected it.
"We are open to discussion on conversions but Home Minister will respond. The opposition cannot dictate who will reply to a debate," Mr Jaitley said.
The government has faced opposition protests since mass conversions of nearly 60 Muslim families in Agra in Uttar Pradesh last week.
Sources say the BJP has decided that it will not "not give an inch" on the demand for PM Modi's statement on religious conversions, after an assessment that the repeated calls for an intervention by the PM is an attempt to build a perception that he is not in control of members of his party and the government.
There are four working days left of the Winter session of Parliament and the government needs to push a number of key legislation, including the Insurance Bill and one for its other major reform, the Goods and Services Tax or GST.
It is in a minority in the Rajya Sabha and needs the support of other parties to push through Bills. 105 of the 250 lawmakers in the Upper House are opposed to the Insurance Bill, including the Congress' 66. Less than 70 support it.
The government, said sources, is looking at the option of pushing the Insurance Bill, which seeks to raise a cap on foreign direct investment in insurance to 49 percent, as an Ordinance or executive order after the session if the logjam does not end.
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