Rahul Gandhi invites opposition for breakfast meeting today; 'mock Parliament' on agenda

Amid the Parliament impasse over the Pegasus 'snooping' row, ex-Congress president Rahul Gandhi has reportedly invited opposition leaders to a breakfast meeting on Tuesday. Speaking to the media a day earlier, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge confirmed that opposition MPs and floor leaders of various parties would attend the meeting at the Constitution Club of India in the national capital. Since the commencement of the Monsoon Session on July 19, Parliament has been marked by sloganeering, leaders rushing to the Well of the House with placards, tearing of papers and repeated adjournments. 

However, the opposition has pinned the blame for the logjam on the stubborn attitude of the treasury benches. On the other hand, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi dubbed the snooping row a "totally non-serious" issue and affirmed that IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has already given a detailed statement in both the Houses. As per sources, some political parties are of the opinion that a mock Parliament session should be convened.

It is expected that the opposition barring for BSP will chalk out to a joint strategy on the Pegasus issue. Earlier, sources told Republic TV that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has reached out to the opposition leaders in Rajya Sabha for their support in running the House. However, the opposition reportedly agreed to cooperate only if the government allows a discussion on the repealing of three farm laws, inflation and the Pegasus snooping row in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and PM Modi. 

Opposition unrelenting on Pegasus discussion

Addressing a press conference in Delhi last week, Rahul Gandhi launched a no-holds-barred attack on the Centre over the Pegasus issue. Claiming that the opposition's voice is being suppressed in Parliament, the Wayanad MP asked, "Did the government of India purchase Pegasus? Yes or no? Did the government of India use the Pegasus on our own people?" On this occasion, he refuted the notion that the opposition is disrupting the Parliament proceedings and stressed that the discussion must be only on the snooping row. 

Flanked by leaders such as Manoj Jha, Kanimozhi and Sanjay Raut, Gandhi told the media, "The government has clearly told us that there will be no discussion regarding Pegasus in the House. I want to tell the people of India- Narendra Modi has installed a weapon in your phone. This weapon was used against me, the Supreme Court, other leaders, journalists and activists. So, why shouldn't there be a discussion in Parliament?"