Haryana Assembly erupts in outrage over anti-conversion bill

Chandigarh: It was a stormy start to Haryana's budget session on Friday as the Opposition resisted the Prevention of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2022, that was introduced in the Vidhan Sabha.

Manohar Lal Khattar made it clear during his discussion of the Bill that it does not discriminate against any religion and only speaks about forcible conversions.

In addressing the legislators, the CM said: "All the people who are sitting on these benches can get their religion converted to whichever they want to."

Legislators of the Congress party continued protesting, calling the Bill "unconstitutional" in response to the remarks. Congress MLA Raghuvir Singh Kadian tore a copy of the bill, which led to his suspension.

In an attempt to calm the situation, Speaker Gian Chand Gupta asked Kadian to leave the House who continued to raise slogans against the Bill. Kadian, however, said he had every right to tear a copy of the Bill since it had not even been introduced.

"I respect the Speaker's feelings, but I'm not sorry for my act. I have only torn a simple piece of paper. I had torn copies of the three farm laws as well here," he added.

The Speaker reprimanded the member for his habit of tearing papers in the House, saying: "The bill is a piece of trash to you, but not for the House. I need to maintain the House in its decorum."