READ ALSO:

Narendra Modi upset, VHP puts 'ghar wapsi' events on hold

India is our Hindu rashtra, RSS chief says

You don't need a 56-inch chest, you need a 4-inch heart to come to #Parliament and talk about religious conversions: Derek O'Brien — AITC (@AITCofficial) December 22,

(Inputs from PTI)

Read in Hindi:

मोदी पर विपक्ष का ताना, यहां 56 इंच का सीना नहीं चाहिए

NEW DELHI: The Union government does not support conversion or re-conversion, parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu told the Lok Sabha on Monday."State governments must take action if any individual is forcefully trying to convert or reconvert someone," Venkaiah Naidu said.Facing opposition attack over the conversion issue, Naidu said in Lok Sabha that neither the government nor the BJP was involved in such acts and the state governments should take action if anyone violates the law."Government is nowhere in the picture, the party (BJP) is nowhere in the picture. If any individual does it, action has to be taken by the state government," he said after Congress member K C Venugopal, supported by his and other opposition parties, raised the issue during Zero Hour."Government is not involved and government does not support conversion or re-conversion. The entire country is peaceful, some people are unhappy. ... You want to make a political issue, make it outside. You can't go levelling allegations," Naidu said.With Venugopal raising the issue of recent instances of conversions in Kerala, Naidu said, "Action has to be taken by the state government and unfortunately it belongs to Venugopal's party (Cong). Who stopped the Congress government (in Kerala) from taking action? Action should be taken by the state government."Heated exchanges ensued after Leader of Congress Mallikarjun Kharge said, "Every day such incidents ... of 'ghar wapasi' are happening in various states... Government is indirectly supporting it."Earlier, there was uproar in the Rajya Sabha yet again on Monday over the conversions' issue with Left parties giving a notice for suspension of business in Rajya Sabha over RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's statement.Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Naresh Agarwal also said he had submitted a notice to suspend all work and take up the debate.But senior BJP leader and finance minister Arun Jaitley said, "Motion for discussion is inadmissible as the issue (conversions) has been raised already."The opposition reacted with anger over the rising incidents of communal tension across the nation and slammed the government for not fulfilling its promises but going ahead with the 'Ghar Wapsi' agenda.Also reacting to Mohan Bhagwat's statement, BSP chief Mayawati said, "I strongly condemn his comment, his statement his highly objectionable, and against the Constitution of our country."As protests continued, the deputy chairman adjourned the house will 12 noon. Later, the house was adjourned again till 2pm.Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said: "We are not running away from a discussion. We want a discussion on the issue of conversion. We want the PM to come to the house".According to sources, Prime Minister Modi could make a statement in the Upper House on the issue.Earlier, strongly defending the current controversial campaign of the Sangh Parivar, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat dared the opposition to support a law banning religious conversions.He also asked the other minorities not to convert Hindus if they also do not want to come back to Hinduism."We are trying to create a strong Hindu society. Those who have strayed, they have not gone on their own. They have been allured and have been forcibly taken away. When the thief is being caught and my property has been recovered, when I am taking back my own property, what is new in it?" Bhagwat wondered at a Hindu sammelan."If you don't like it (re-conversion to Hinduism), then bring a law against it. You don't want to bring it. If you don't want to change into a Hindu, then you should not convert Hindus too. We are firm in our position," he said.