Pegasus row: CPI MP accuses Centre of hiding the 'truth'

Talking to ETV Bharat, CPI MP Binoy Viswam accused the BJP-led Central government of hiding the truth on the Pegasus spyware issue. He said the once the government comes prepared for the discussion, the opposition parties will cooperate. Congress and Samajawadi Party MP's also slam the govt for not taking up 'discussion' on snooping row.

New Delhi: Amid the continued uproar by Opposition leaders in the Parliament over Pegasus snooping row, CPI MP Binoy Viswam on Wednesday said Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are proper places for discussion, the moment they come prepared for the discussion we will cooperate. Binoy Viswam accused the BJP-led Central government of hiding the truth on the Pegasus spyware issue.

"We respect the Parliament, but the BJP leaders don't, we respect discussion, but they don't. We want to uphold the truth but they don't want to uphold the truth instead they want to hide it," CPI MP Binoy Viswam told ETV Bharat. On being asked that does the meeting of 14 Opposition parties over the Pegasus spyware issue is a big message for the next Lok Sabha elections, he said, "It may be too immature to make such a statement but it is a very good and promising beginning."

Read:|Has the govt bought Pegasus? Answer in 'yes' or 'no': Rahul Gandhi

In an exclusive interaction with ETV Bharat, Congress MP Dr Syed Naseer Hussain, said, "It is a matter of the internal security of the country, it is a matter of right to privacy, it is a matter of right to liberty, it is a matter of freedom of speech and expression. The government is snooping on us and trying to intimidate us, if the government will not discuss this issue then we will not let the Parliament work."

Read:|Rajya Sabha adjourned amid ruckus by Opposition

Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav said that it is the government that is not letting the Parliament run properly. If they would not discuss the security of the country when it is at stake then what other issue that would interest them. There was discussion was for only four hours but they did not let this happen and disrupted seven days of the Parliament.

He further said we wanted to discuss the issues of the common man but they want to bring Bills like Bankruptcy and Food Amendment Bill which if gets passed from the Parliament then the debt of more than Rs 3 lakh crore on the industrialists will be a written-off.

Read:|'Won't allow Parliament proceedings until discussion held', opposition on Pegasus snooping row