BJP members boycott IT committee meeting

Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday staged a walkout from a meeting of the information technology standing committee led by Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor, people familiar with the matter said.

“When the House is functioning, how can meetings be scheduled at the same time? It is our job as MPS to help the Parliament function,” BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said. “I had raised the issue during the last session as well,” he said.

BJP MPS came to the meetings to lodge their protests and left without signing the register, said one of the persons quoted above. “Over nine members were present, which is the base number needed for quorum and for meetings to continue,” the person added.

Dubey added that BJP members will not attend Wednesday’s meeting either, wherein

NEW DELHI:

the panel is set to discuss the controversial Pegasus Project with the government. He said that the agenda for the meeting was not discussed with the members beforehand.

The person mentioned above, however, said that all procedures and protocols were followed before the meeting was scheduled.

The Pegasus project reports claim that the Israeli spyware was used to infiltrate the phones of activists, journalists, opposition leaders and even the government’s own ministers. The Centre has denied the charges, with Union minister for electronics and information technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, whose name was on the list, saying that reports were completely devoid of facts. The opposition has sought a probe.

The panel will hear from the minister of home affairs, electronics and information technology and communications on Wednesday regarding the Pegasus issue.