Both the government and the opposition Wednesday blamed each other for the continuous disruptions in the Rajya Sabha, as the conversion row stalled the proceedings of the upper house for a third consecutive day.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said that blocking the debate and obstructing the house proceedings by the opposition is undemocratic and unacceptable to the government.
"The entire country is watching. They are blocking the house; it is totally unacceptable," Naidu told reporters in the parliament complex.
"They are clearly not interested in passing the bills which are important. We are not at fault, we are ready for all kinds of discussions," the minister said.
"It seems that they do not care for development... Insisting on prime minister's statement over conversion issue is not a valid demand...the government is ready to discuss each issue on the floor of the house," he said.
Congress leader Anand Sharma, however, blamed the government, and said it is the collective demand of the opposition that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should assure the house that no forcible conversion will take place in future.
"There is a wide attempt to spread communal tension and towards polarisation. The prime minister needs to tell us what is being done, to stop that. The prime minister should listen to the opposition and answer their questions about what his party is doing," said Sharma.
He accused the government of being arrogant.
"Our demand is reasonable, it is a democracy. The government is being arrogant in rejecting this simple demand. Our prime minister who speaks well around the nation cannot come to parliament and speak?" the opposition leader said.
The Rajya Sabha has been witnessing protests since Monday over the issue of alleged forced conversions, as well as statements by ruling party MPs which opposition has alleged are spreading hatred and communal disharmony.
While the government has agreed for a discussion, the opposition has been insisting that the prime minister should respond to the debate.
