Oppn hardens stand on Pegasus issue, presses for discussion in Parliament

Earlier in the day, several leaders decided to submit similar adjournment notices on the matter of the snooping row targeting a host of people, including political leaders, journalists and civil society activists.Demanding a debate in Parliament in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused them of hitting the soul of Indias democracy by snooping upon its institutions.The opposition is united for a discussion on the Pegasus issue...

The opposition on Wednesday gathered its forces on the Pegasus spyware issue with leaders of 14 parties meeting to make a vigorous push for a debate in Parliament and a Supreme Court monitored probe, while a 15th, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, declared the situation was worse than Emergency. Unity was the opposition mantra for the day as multiple leaders took on the government for allegedly suppressing their voices and toughened their stand both inside and outside Parliament, where the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day following protests and the Rajya Sabha was also repeatedly disrupted. Earlier in the day, several leaders decided to submit similar adjournment notices on the matter of the snooping row targeting a host of people, including political leaders, journalists and civil society activists.

Demanding a debate in Parliament in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused them of ''hitting the soul of India's democracy by snooping upon its institutions''.

''The opposition is united for a discussion on the Pegasus issue... We are not going anywhere till it is discussed in Parliament,'' Gandhi told reporters in the presence of leaders of 13 other opposition parties at Vijay Chowk near Parliament.

He also rejected the government's charges on the disruption of Parliament and said the opposition was only fulfilling its responsibility.

''We just have one question. Has the government of India bought Pegasus, yes or no? Did the government use Pegasus weapon on its own people, yes or no? That is all we wish to know,'' he asked. Alleging that the spyware was a weapon that has been used against India, he said, ''… for us, is an issue of nationalism, treason.'' It should, Gandhi said, be used against terrorists. “We are asking the prime minister and the home minister… why did you use it against democratic institutions? What has Indian democracy done that you have used the weapon against democracy?'' Hitting out at opposition leaders for creating a ruckus in Parliament over the Pegasus spying row and the farmer protests, and throwing papers at the Chair, the BJP said they have damaged the dignity of Parliament.

Union minister Anurag Thakur alleged that the Opposition is running away from debate and sought to know why it ''doesn't want issues to be discussed in Parliament”.

''There is a way to protest. But today, the Opposition has damaged the dignity and decorum of the temple of our democracy,'' Thakur told reporters in a counter attack.

His colleague Sambit Patra added that ''anyone who tries to prevent such a debate is striking a blow to the country”. Deepening the faultlines, several other opposition leaders spoke out too at the press conference with Gandhi to counter the government.

DMK's T R Baalu said the government has given an impression that the opposition parties are against holding discussions in Parliament but that is not so.

'' We wanted a discussion from day one. Every day, we are giving notices but the government is not coming forward for a discussion... It is a matter of great concern for democracy. The Pegasus matter has to be taken very seriously,'' he said.

Ram Gopal Yadav of the Samajwadi Party agreed and described as “false propaganda” the government's allegation that the opposition is running away from a discussion.

Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut said, ''The government has indulged in backstabbing and attacked us with this weapon''.

''No institution has been left out of this snooping and the truth will not come till a Supreme Court-monitored probe is conducted. The corruption in the Rafale deal is linked to this snooping issue,'' said Sanjay Singh of the Aam Aadmi Party.

NCP's Supriya Sule said the opposition parties were united in their demand for the discussion in Parliament on the snooping row.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is in Delhi and has been reaching out to various leaders in a bid to bring together non-BJP forces ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, accused the Centre of being unresponsive to the opposition’s demands. ''Everywhere they are sending ED, IT for raids. Here there is no response. In a democracy, the government has to respond.

''The situation is very serious, it's more serious than the Emergency,'' the Trinamool Congress chief said in reference to the Pegasus controversy. Banerjee, who met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, asked why the government was not responding on the Pegasus matter. “If there is no discussion in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha (on Pegasus), then where will this discussion be held? Discussions happen only in Parliament, not at tea shops.'' Banerjee was noncommittal on being the face of the Opposition to take on the BJP, saying it will depend on the situation.

''I want to help all the opposition parties to bell the cat. I don't want to be a leader, but a simple cadre,'' she said on the leadership issue.

''I am not a political astrologer. It depends on the situation, structure. I have no problem if someone else leads. When the matter is discussed we can decide. I cannot impose,'' Banerjee told a select group of reporters.

An international media consortium has reported that over 300 verified mobile phone numbers, including of two ministers, over 40 journalists, three opposition leaders and one sitting judge besides scores of businesspersons and activists in India could have been targeted for hacking through the spyware.