House impasse may continue, Centre eyes bill on Delhi air quality panel
NEW DELHI: The government is set to introduce in Parliament next week a bill to reconvene a now-defunct commission to monitor air quality in the national capital region but the ongoing impasse in both Houses over the alleged use of Israeli spyware might continue for some time as the Congress wants the Narendra Modi government to commit to a Supreme Courtmonitored probe into the issue.
The Opposition is not satisfied with the suo motu statement of information technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who spoke in the Lok Sabha on Monday and Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, and insists that the government didn’t categorically rule out the purchase or use of Pegasus spyware by its agencies.
A senior Congress leader told HT, “We want an SC-monitored investigation.”
On its part, the government circulated the list of official business for the next week. It contains as many as 10 bills, including the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital and Adjoining Areas Bill. An ordinance on this matter, which set up a commission to monitor pollution in the national capital region last year, lapsed in March. The commission shut down soon after.
The monsoon session of Parliament began on Monday but was roiled by protests and disruptions by Opposition parties over the alleged snooping row, controversial farm bills, rising petrol prices and other issues.
A global investigative consortium reported this week that politicians, activists, journalists and even constitutional authorities were potential targets of surveillance using Israel-manufactured Pegasus spyware, triggering uproar. The Opposition insists that a debate on the Pegasus controversy can take place in Parliament only if the Union home minister is present in the House. While the government managers insist that the ruling dispensation is ready for a debate on any issue, senior Congress strategist told HT that “Pegasus can be discussed if the home minister remains present.”
Trinamool Congress, the second largest Opposition party in Parliament, also see no end to the protests if the PM and the home minister don’t participate in the debate. “There is no question of giving up on our demands. This is not an information technology issue at all. Using espionage and militarygrade against your own citizens? You are setting up a surveillance state. This is a serious issue and Parliament needs to know the truth,” said Trinamool’s Rajya Sabha leader Derek O’Brien.
Both Houses of Parliament faced continuous disruption for the last four days. The government and the Chair have repeatedly appealed for peace for discussion to take place.
On Friday, Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu said he agrees that members have a right to seek clarifications from the IT minister on the latter’s statement on the Pegasus issue. “Allow the House to function and then the minister has to be told that there are going to be clarifications.”
The Pegasus row erupted on Sunday night after an international investigative consortium reported that India was among countries that used Israeli company NSO Group’s phone hacking software to potentially target politicians, journalists and activists.