Pegasus row: LoP Kharge says Opposition ready to discuss, glosses over Parliament lockjam

Amid the controversy over the Pegasus project, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Tuesday hit out at the Centre saying that the country is witnessing 'dictatorship', following his repeated demands on discussing the same being allegedly disregarded by the Centre, even as the Opposition continues to allow only minimal functioning.

"Dictatorship is prevailing in the country"

Slamming the BJP, Kharge said that the Centre does not want to go by the rules of the constitution. 

The government gave permission for alleged snooping: Mallikarjun Kharge

While speaking to the media, the LoP alleged that the government gave permission for alleged snooping via Pegasus and that it is involved in snooping on judges, army officers, journalists, and opposition leaders. He didn't provide additional evidence for the same, given that the much-touted Pegasus papers restrict themselves to conjecture in this regard.

LoP accuses Centre over Pegasus row 

The LoP further criticised the Centre for ignoring their call of discussing crucial issues in the Parliament that are plaguing the Nation. He demanded an inquiry over the Pegasus row under the supervision of the Apex Court. He made little mention of the Parliament being disrupted or the IT minister's papers being snatched from him when he tried to make a statement on the matter.

Mallikarjun Kharge had on July 22 said, “We have been demanding a discussion on Pegasus issue. But the government is only giving a statement. One can only ask for clarification if a statement is given and not all members will be able to speak. The government is doing the same. It is an attempt to scuttle down and save themselves. They are not allowing other members to speak.".

Later on July 23, the Congress had held protest marches at many places across the country demanding a Supreme Court-monitored judicial inquiry into the alleged snooping of phones using Israeli Pegasus spyware and the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah over the matter. The Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day following protests by opposition parties over the snooping row. The Upper House of Parliament was adjourned four times on Friday amid uproar by the Opposition for a discussion on the issue. 

Meanwhile, on July 25, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas has approached the Supreme Court seeking a court-monitored probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into reports of the government using Israeli software Pegasus to spy on politicians, activists, and journalists. 

The government and the ruling BJP on the other hand have dismissed the Pegasus Project reports as fabricated and evidence-less, with the IT minister referring to it as 'sensationalism'.

What is the Pegasus row?

A report by sixteen media houses claimed that 300 verified Indian mobile telephone numbers were allegedly spied upon using Israeli surveillance technology firm Pegasus - which only has 36 vetted governments as its clients. As per a 'leaked' database, numbers of those allegedly spied upon include over 40 journalists, three major opposition figures, one constitutional authority, two serving cabinet ministers, current and former heads, and officials of security organizations and businessmen. The target also includes the eight activists currently accused of the Bhima Koregaon case. The report claimed that the leaked numbers mainly belong to ten countries - India, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The Centre has refuted all allegations, while the Opposition has sought an SC probe into it.