With the Rajya Sabha proceedings disrupted by the Opposition over demands for a debate on the Pegasus snooping row, Congress Chief Whip in Parliament Jairam Ramesh said Parliament is not functioning because the Government is not agreeing to the legitimate demands of the parties.

Ramesh sought to clarify by highlighting, that the entire Opposition is united over having a discussion on the Pegasus snooping issue in the presence of the Prime Minister or the Home Minister and demanding a Supreme Court-monitored enquiry into the scandal.

Leader of Opposition in the House, Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the Opposition notice under rule 267 is not being allowed. He has given notice “That the House do suspend Zero Hour and relevant rules relating to Question Hour and other business of the day to have a discussion in the presence of the Prime Minister or Home Minister on the Pegasus snooping, spying and surveillance scandal that has undermined our democracy and Constitutional rights and to have a Supreme Court-monitored enquiry announced immediately.”

On Monday, the Opposition forced repeated adjournments in the House as it was first adjourned till 12 noon, then till 2 p.m. and then again after several adjournments, for the day. There was a ruckus after the Chair disallowed a suspension notice moved by the Opposition parties on ‘Pegasus Project’. Slogans were hurled and placards were held by the opposition to register their protests.

The Deputy Chairman tried to conduct the House during Question Hour where some questions were asked but the replies were inaudible amid the pandemonium. The House was adjourned till 2 p.m. Earlier, the chairman M. Venkiah Naidu said the notice by T. Siva, E. Kareem and Mallikarjun Kharge was not allowed which led to a ruckus in the House that forced the Chair to adjourn it till 12 noon.

The floor leaders of the opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha met in the chamber of Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Kharge, to devise a strategy on the Pegasus snooping issue and jointly decided to press their demands.

…With IANS inputs