Opposition sends video to PM Modi asking him, “Come listen to us”

Opposition sends a 3-minute video to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him, “Come listen to us” amid the final week of the Monsoon Session.

The Opposition has been demanding a discussion on the Pegasus spyware row, the farmers’ issues, poor COVID management, the price rise of fuel, economic crash and several other issues.

The BJP is Not Listening, Passing 20 Bills Without Debate:

The BJP party is not listening to any Opposition voices and 20 bills were passed in Parliament without debate. The Rajya Sabha has passed nine bills since the House convened on July 19 and clocked nearly 17 minutes per bill for discussion and passing.  The BJP Central Government did this amid protests by the Opposition clamouring for a discussion on Pegasus.

The Lok Sabha passed 11 bills, each on an average taking about eight minutes. Most of these bills were passed without discussion. In fact, Lok Sabha has not taken up a single issue for discussion.

The Opposition is gravely concerned about the unconstitutional manner in which the bills are being passed and the Leader of the Opposition, Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge said, “Last week, the BJP government ramrodded 10 bills of national importance in 97 minutes. Parliament was condescendingly granted 9.7 minutes to reflect, deliberate on and pass each bill. The PM is demeaning the democratic and parliamentary process.”

Opposition Demands that PM MOdi Attend the Proceedings and Listen to Their Voices:

Now, with just a week to go before the Parliament’s Monsoon Session ends, Trinamool Congress’s Derek O’Brien demanded today that Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends the proceedings and listen to the demands of the opposition as they have been asking for a discussion on the Pegasus spyware row, the farmers’ issues and several others. Mr O’Brien tweeted a three-minute video of various opposition parties pushing their in parliament, captioned “Mr Modi come listen to us”.

Until now, the Prime Minister has attended Parliament once for the opening remarks and to introduce the new ministers. The proceedings were interrupted and PM Modi, annoyed remarked that the house should “treat the ministers as introduced”.

Concerns of Pegasus Spyware 

While the Center claims there is nothing to the Pegasus spyware scandal, and denied any illegal snooping and is refusing the discuss the issue, this report from the global media consortium reporting the illegal use of spyware in several nations is valid and substantiated from verified sources.

In India, the spyware could have been used on political leaders, journalists, bureaucrats and court officials, a former election commissioner and others, and around 300 names were found on a list of suspected surveillance targets. Forensic analysis of some of the phones has found traces of hacking, reports from The Wire have stated.

The government, which has denied any illegal snooping in a statement in parliament, has refused to discuss the matter since.

“You are not allowing the discussion we have been asking for the past 14 days and the discussions we can do later. You are passing that bill now. If you have courage, begin the discussions now,” Congress’s Mallikarjun Kharge is heard saying in the video compilation of opposition speakers in the house.

“This government is unnecessarily snooping on people, bringing in companies like Pegasus and not listening to the people. It is a shame, said Vandana Chavan of Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party.

“Pegasus has reached everyone’s house. We have to discuss on this,” said RJD’s Manoj Jha.

“In Delhi, a Dalit girl has been raped and burnt but the government is not even talking about it,” said Aaam Aadmi Party’s Sushil Kumar Gupta.

Deepender Singh Hooda of the Congress which is also supporting the farmers’ protest, said he would talk about the farmers’ issue if his “microphone is not switched off”.

The CPM accused the government of “stealing” parliamentary democracy. “There should be freedom of speech in parliament,” said Trinamool’s Sukhendu Shekar Roy.

The DMK, too, opposed the government’s handling of the issue, saying, “Let us discuss the quality of democracy”. Most opposition parties have accused the government of running a dictatorship.

The Prime Minister normally comes to the house every Thursday, as it is the day reserved for the questions related to ministries under him. During Parliament session, he is always present in his office in the Parliament building, where he meets senior ministers every morning at 10 am to discuss Parliament strategy.

Irritated by the repeated chaos and adjournments in Parliament, the Prime Minister has asked the BJP MPs to target the Congress.

However, all the Opposition are united in their stance that the Central Government is not listening to them, randomly passing laws without debated, sabbotaging the legal proceedings in Parliament by muffling the Opposition voices and turning off their mikes when they want to speak and the PM is not willing to listen or even accept anything is wrong in the midst of the chaos and disruption and the PM is accused of demeaning the democratic and parliamentary process.