Oppn issues statement demanding discussion on Pegasus snooping issue
Darpan News Desk IANS, 04 Aug, 2021 12:29 PM
New Delhi, Aug 4 (IANS) Eighteen leaders of the like-minded opposition parties on Wednesday issued a joint statement and demanded discussion on the Pegasus snooping issue.
The statement reads: "The opposition parties stand firm and united on their demand for a discussion on the Pegasus issue in both the Houses, replied to by the Home Minister, as this has national security dimensions."
The opposition has also unequivocally conveyed that 'the discussion on the farmers' issues and agitations arising from the three anti-farmers and black agri-laws should follow the discussion on Pegasus'.
"It is unfortunate that the government has unleashed a misleading campaign to malign the combined opposition and blame it for the continued disruption in Parliament. The responsibility for the deadlock lies squarely at the doorsteps of the government, which remains arrogant and obdurate and refuses to accept the opposition's demand for an informed debate in both the Houses." it said
The opposition also said, "It urges the government to respect parliamentary democracy and accept the discussions."
The letter was issued jointly by Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha; Sharad Pawar, NCP; T.R. Balu, DMK; Anand Sharma, Congress, Ramgopal Yadav, SP; Derek O' Brien, Trinamool; Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena; Kalyan Banerjee, Trinamool, Vinayak Raut, Shiv Sena; Tiruchi Siva, DMK; Manoj Jha, RJD; Elamaram Kareem, CPI-M, Sushil Gupta, AAP; E.T. Mohd. Basheer, IUML; Hasnain Masoodi, N; Binoy Viswam, CPI; N.K. Premachandran, RSP; and M.V, Shreyams Kumar, LJD.
Most experts believe India’s official toll of 414,000 dead was a vast undercount, but the government has dismissed those concerns. A report released Tuesday estimates excess deaths to be 3 million to 4.7 million between January 2020 and this June.
Rejecting all opposition to his elevation, Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi appointed Navjot Singh Sidhu as the party's new Punjab unit President along with four Working Presidents.
Calling the reports of alleged snooping on prominent citizens using Israeli Pegasus spyware as "baseless", the ruling BJP on Monday said there is not a single shred of evidence so far that links either the central government or the party to this controversy.
Congress MPs from both Houses had met on Sunday afternoon at Rajya Sabha member Pratap Singh Bajwa's residence to discuss the issues related to Punjab and sought an appointment with Gandhi.
Apart from reviewing the security arrangements in the national capital, the Delhi Police have also strengthened the security in and around the Red Fort ahead of the Independence Day.
Police said acting on a specific information, Budgam Police along with the Army's 53 RR and 43 BN of the CRPF arrested one local terrorist linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT and recovered incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including one Chinese pistol, one magazine, eight live pistol rounds from his possession.
