Congress MP holds Parliamentary Minister responsible for 'disruption'

Congress Lok Sabha MP Manickam Tagore slams the Union government for not letting the opposition parties have a discussion over the Pegasus Snoopgate row and even held Union Parliamentary Minister Prahlad Joshi responsible for disrupting the Parliament proceedings for last two days.

New Delhi:Congress Lok Sabha MP Manickam Tagore tears into the Union government for not letting the opposition parties have a discussion over the Pegasus Snoopgate row and even held Union Parliamentary Minister Prahlad Joshi responsible for disrupting the Parliament proceedings.

While speaking to ETV Bharat on Friday, Manickam Tagore said, "We want a reply from the Central government, whether they have bought Pegasus or if someone else is snooping on us illegally? And if so, then what are we going to do? Other countries are enquiring over this matter, while we are not even ready for a discussion in the Parliament. Why?"

When asked about the BJP blaming Congress party for disrupting the Parliament proceedings, he replied, "Truth can't be hidden by Prime Minister Modi. Parliament is for both ruling and opposition parties. Yesterday, Leader of Opposition, Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary stood up to speak, but after 30 seconds, Parliamentary Minister, whose duty is to run the Parliament jumped in between to stall his speech. Then the House got adjourned. Today, again he did the same thing. He should be held accountable for disrupting the Parliament proceedings."

"If they won't let us speak, what we should do? Parliament is to raise the concerns of the people. Government can't press its own agenda in Parliament," he further asserted.

Opposition parties are continuously demanding a discussion over Pegasus snooping row in the Parliament in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. On Friday morning, MPs of all like-minded parties from both the houses also had a meeting at the office of LoP Rajya Sabha office within Parliament premises.

Earlier today, the Supreme Court of India has also agreed to hear a petition seeking a probe by a sitting or retired judge into the Pegasus controversy. "Supreme Court issue may be different. I don't want to comment on that. But being Parliamentarians, we want a discussion in the House where Home Minister should give a reply to our queries as every democratic institution has been attacked by this spyware," the Congress MP said.