Web Applications – Why no scrollbars?

We've recently started developing a web application and are having problems with responsiveness in the design. Every time I try suggest a scrollbar as a solution I am told "No, it's an application so it mustn't have any scrollbars".

For me this is crazy - especially when it comes to responsiveness - and causes a neverending number of headaches for both design and development. Because the application is browser-based I feel like we're trying to fit a square peg in a round hole here. Furthermore if I try find examples of web applications that don't have them I come up short - they all use scrollbars at some point or another.

So my question is where did this rule that web applications can't have scrollbars originate from? And can you supply me with examples where it has been achieved?