Stay united on Pegasus and farm laws in House, Rahul urges Oppn
The Congress and 13 other opposition parties were present in the meeting organised by Gandhi to forge a joint strategy on Pegasus and other issues
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged Opposition leaders to maintain the “foundation of unity” as 14 parties decided to stick to their stand on the Pegasus snooping issue in the remaining days of the monsoon session of Parliament, two leaders present at the meeting said on Tuesday — a rare sign of coming together of the country’s usually fractured Opposition, but also one that doesn’t bode well for the productivity of the ongoing session.
The Congress and 13 other opposition parties were present for a breakfast meeting organised by Gandhi on Tuesday at the Constitution Club to forge a joint strategy on Pegasus and other issues, such as the conten tious farm laws and spiralling fuel prices. “We decided that we will stick to our position on these issues. If the government wants to run this session, they have to agree to a debate on Pegasus,” said an Opposition leader after the meeting.
The meeting went on for over an hour, and Gandhi, in his short speech, pointed out that opposition parties represent 60% of India and accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of undermining this large part of the country.
Emphasising on unity, days after West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said she wants to bring like-minded parties together, Gandhi underlined that “if all of us remain together, the BJP-RSS (Bharatiya Janata Party-rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) would not be able to harm us.”
Gandhi also acknowledged that the parties might have their own viewpoints and priorities. “We can always have space for arguments and debates in this framework of unity. But let us work together,” he told the leaders at the meeting.
The meeting was attended by leaders from the Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Nationalist Congress Party, Shiv Sena, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Indian Union Muslim League, Revolutionary Socialist Party, Kerala Congress (M), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, National Conference, Trinamool Congress and Loktantrik Janata Dal. Congress functionaries that Aam Aadmi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party didn’t attend the meeting while Shiromani Akali Dal was not invited. Dosa, idli as well as chhole bhature was served in an all-vegetarian menu.
Different parties maintained that they should continue to press for a debate on the Pegasus issue but the CPI(M)’S Rajya Sabha leader Elamaram Kareem pointed out that the disruption in the House was helping the government clear its legislation. “Their bills are being cleared, but voice is not being registered. We have to register our protest,” Kareem said at the meeting.
Another Opposition leader later told HT: “Many leaders want the House to run so that they can speak on key issues. But Congress, Trinamool, DMK and some other party leaderships are adamant on their demand for a debate on Pegasus.” The parties decided they would try newer ways to mark their daily protests every day. After the meeting, Gandhi and many other Congress leaders rode bicycles to Parliament to protest against the fuel price hike.
RSP leader NK Premachandran said: “After a long time, nearly all key opposition parties have come together.”