Asserting that the allegations of snooping using Pegasus spyware were not about privacy but an “anti-national act and treason,” former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said “a united Opposition is not going anywhere ” until the government agreed to discuss the issue in Parliament.
The Opposition hardened its stance after leaders of 14 parties met at the office of the Rajya Sabha’s Leader of the Opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge, in the morning to discuss a joint strategy against the Narendra Modi government.
Mr. Gandhi was among those who attended the meeting. Several of them, in a calibrated manner, had demanded adjournment motion to discuss the snooping issue after suspending regular business.
Hardening their stance against the government, leaders of 14 opposition parties met and decided to submit similar adjournment notices on the Pegasus spyware issue. Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) was not present in the meeting.
Talking to reporters in the presence of leaders of 13 other opposition parties after the meeting, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, “The opposition is united for a discussion on the Pegasus issue… We are not going anywhere till it is discussed in Parliament.”
The Opposition’s aggressive stance also came after what Mr. Gandhi claimed “the government’s refusal to have any discussion on the issue in Parliament.”
“We just have one question. Has the Government of India bought Pegasus, yes or no? Did the government use Pegasus weapon on its own people, yes or no?,” he asked.
Rejecting the government’s allegations that the Opposition was disrupting Parliament, Mr. Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of “attacking the soul of India’s democracy.”
Terming the Pegasus matter an anti-national, treasonous act, Gandhi said “The PM has assaulted democratic institutions by using the weapons grade spyware against them. For me, this is not a matter of privacy, it is an anti-national act, treason. The weapon was used against me, SC, other leaders, journalists, activists. Then why should we not debate the issue in Parliament? What is the reason the discussion is not happening. This is the question.”
On parliamentary disruptions, Gandhi said, “It is being said that we are disturbing Parliament. We are not disrupting Parliament. We only wish to discharge our responsibility. All of us want to discharge our responsibility. This weapon has been used against India. This weapon should be used against terrorists, against traitors. We are asking PM and HM why did you use it against democratic institutions? What has Indian democracy done that you have used the weapon against democracy?”
He said, “This weapon has been used against democracy. This is not a matter of privacy. This is not a matter of privacy for me. It is an anti-national act. HM and PM have assaulted the democratic spirit of India. That is why we are seeking a Pegasus discussion and without this discussion we will not go anywhere,” said Gandhi.
DMK, RJD, SP, Left and NCP leaders backed the demand for a debate and said only the PM could have ordered the use of spyware and HM could have been a party to it.
“No one else could have done this. So the PM or HM must be present in the discussion on Pegasus,” Gandhi said.
