Stormy week awaits Parliament as govt, Opposition remain adamant on Pegasus debate

Another stormy week awaits Parliament as the government looks at clearing bills to replace six ordinances even as the Opposition remains adamant on a discussion on the Pegasus episode, which the ruling BJP has described as a "non-issue".

Though a couple of meetings were held with Opposition leaders, government floor managers have made it clear that they are not willing to allow a discussion on Pegasus.

Government sources said the priority to get these Bills passed at the earliest and it has given indications that it is willing to get it passed even amid din, as witnessed during the passage of seven bills in Lok Sabha and four in Rajya Sabha.

Some government floor managers are also sending signals that the government may not be averse to curtailing the session by a week if the disruptions continue.

Criticising the government, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi tweeted, "They are used to questions like 'how do you eat mangoes', therefore, they are scared of discussion in Parliament on issues that concern people like price rise."

Also read: Rajya Sabha lost 40 hours to disruption in first two weeks of Monsoon Session

Congress Whip in Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore said the Opposition wanted a discussion on Pegasus because it was "truly deadly" and it was used against Opposition leaders, an ElectionCommissioner, journalists, including women and the then CBI Director Alok Verma among others.

"Developed and sold by the Israeli spyware firm NSO Group, it allows the government agency which deploys it to effectively take remote control of a smartphone and all its contents and functions. All messages, even encrypted ones, become visible. And the microphone and camera can be remotely activated to record and relay private conversations and meetings. Do you think it's a non-issue? Do you think discussion in Lok Sabha is needed or not?" Tagore tweeted.

Lok Sabha could hold proceedings for just 4:27 hours in nine sittings while Rajya Sabha sat for 10:08 hours, as Opposition MPs protested inside both the Houses demanding a discussion on Pegasus. In Rajya Sabha, 1:24 hours were spent for passing four Bills while Lok Sabha took just 52 minutes to clear seven bills, including two Appropriation Bills, sources said.

The government has listed Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2021 for passing in Rajya Sabha, which was already cleared by the Lok Sabha.

The Tribunal Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Bill, 2021, Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Bill, 2021 and The Essential Defence Service Bill, 2021 are listed for passage in Lok Sabha first and later in Rajya Sabha in the next five sittings.

These four bills and Indian Medicine Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and The Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2021 are being brought to replace ordinances issued after Budget sessions.