Amid a stalemate in Parliament over the Pegasus snooping issue, leaders of various opposition parties on Wednesday met and decided to submit similar adjournment notices on the matter.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attended the meeting at the chamber of the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge.
The meeting chaired by Kharge was attended by opposition leaders from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, and discussed the joint opposition strategy to corner the government on the issue. Rahul Gandhi had attended a similar meeting of Opposition leaders of Lok Sabha on Tuesday evening.
Asserting that the opposition parties do not want to compromise on the issues of inflation, Pegasus, and farmers' protest, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that they want discussion over these matters in the House.
His remark came after the Leaders of Opposition parties held a meeting at Parliament to chalk out the future course of action on several issues in both the Houses. "We do not want to compromise on the issues of inflation, Pegasus, and farmers' issues. We want discussion in the House," Gandhi said after the meeting.
The Wayanad MP also attended the meeting, which was chaired by the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge.
During the meeting, Gandhi said the government is "defaming" the opposition by saying that "we are not allowing Parliament to function, while we are raising matters related to the citizens, farmers and security of the country". The opposition leaders supported him.
A total of 14 parties attended the meeting including Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Shiv Sena, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Samajwadi Party (SP), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, National Conference, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Kerala Congress (M) and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK).
The opposition parties have been forcing adjournments in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha over their demands including repeal of three farm laws and probe into allegations of surveillance. They also have been giving adjournment motion notices.
The two Houses have been witnessing protests from the opposition since the start of the monsoon session on July 19.
(With inputs from ANI and PTI)
