New Delhi: Congress party on Thursday slammed the BJP-led Union government over the postponement of the Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology meeting to discuss the Pegasus snoopgate row, accusing it of "running away" from the discussion and even called the incident an "insult to all Parliamentarians".
The comments came as the Standing Committee on Information Technology, headed by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, which was supposed to discuss the Pegasus row on Wednesday, could not deliberate on "Citizens' Data Security and Privacy", as none of the officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Department of Telecom showed up for the meeting, citing various reasons for their absence.
While speaking to the media, Congress senior spokesperson and MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "Please consider who is running, avoiding, filibustering on a simple question, it is the Government alone. We asked a simple question, to which the government must have answered either yes or no. But I'm amazed by their replies... Is this building called a temple of democracy for nothing?"
Also read: BJP MPs boycott parliamentary panel meet headed by Tharoor
"There is complete silence by the government and no discussion in the Parliament. Now in such times do we catch you by the throat? If this is not the legitimate form of democratic protest, namely protest inside the Parliament, then discuss it first," he further stated.
The BJP members of this IT panel protested against the agenda of the meeting to discuss the Pegasus snooping matter, alleging that Congress is not allowing the discussion in Parliament house. Therefore, to mark their protest, BJP members didn't sign the attendance sheet, leading to a lack of quorum.
Singhvi alleged that the members of the ruling party were not ready to discuss the matter in the Parliament but want any discussion to happen outside the parliament.
"What is the remedy of 125 crore people of this largest democracy in the world if you will discuss it outside Parliament, not inside Parliament? And then to add insult to injury you blame us that these parties are obstructing Parliament. It is collectively an insult for all Parliamentarians," Singhvi alleged.
He further stressed, "They have much to hide, they have no answers, no basis of not discussing it inside the Parliament."
Also read: PM Modi should clarify on Pegasus row: Congress' Akhilesh Singh
Congress Rajya Sabha MP and member of IT panel, Syed Naseer Hussain tweeted, "Secretaries of the Ministries’ of IT, Telecom & Home pull out of the standing committee on IT meeting at the last hour which is the contempt of Parliament. Why is the Govt so scared & running away from discussing Pegasus?"
Congress MP Manish Tewari had also tweeted, "NDA/BJP scuttling discussion on l'affaire Pegasus in both Parliament & IT standing Committee. 3 GOI Secy’s are in contempt of house for ducking Standing Comm meeting. 100-150 MP’s must file joint Article 32 petition in SC for court monitored investigation."
