Opposition leaders led by senior Congress leader and Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi on August 3 took out a cycle march to the Parliament as a symbolic protest against the rising fuel in the country.
Gandhi suggested that the leaders from at least 15 Opposition parties, who attended the breakfast meeting at the Constitution club early morning today, should take part in the protest to raise the rising fuel price issue. The march started from Constitution Club soon after the meeting was over.
The meeting was convened to plan strategies with regard to the stalemate in Parliament during the ongoing Monsoon Session over a host of issues, including the Pegasus Project row, farm reform laws, and rising fuel prices.
The march is seen as an attempt by Rahul Gandhi to unite Opposition parties and corner the Central government over these issues at a time when stalemate continues during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament. Last week Gandhi drove a tractor to the Parliament to extend support to Farmers' Protest over three farm laws.
Apart from the Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena, RJD, SP, CPI(M), CPI, IUML, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Kerala Congress (M), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, National Conference, TMC and Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) participated in the breakfast meeting of Opposition Floor leaders. The Aam Aadmi Party and the BSP did not attend the meeting.
Since the Parliament convened on July 19, the Opposition has been demanding a discussion and an independent inquiry led by a Supreme Court judge - serving or retired - into reports that Israeli spyware was used to hack phones of opposition leaders, judges, activists, journalists, and ministers.
The government has dismissed the demand, saying a statement by Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav in Rajya Sabha was sufficient. The BJP has termed the Pegasus snooping allegations a "non-issue".
Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have failed to transact any significant business, except the passage of some bills due to the continued protests. The Parliament could function for just 18 hours out of possible 107 hours since the beginning leading to the loss of Rs 133 crore worth taxpayers’ money as the Opposition disrupted the business of both the Houses, reports said last week citing an official notification.
Sources said that with little urgent legislative business pending, the government may wind up the Monsoon Session earlier than its designated date of August 13. Congress has alleged that the government was trying to find an excuse to curtail the session after 'obstructing' it's functioning by not agreeing to a discussion on the Pegasus Project row.
Also, read: Pegasus spyware scandal and growing chorus to regulate private surveillance
On August 3, the Essential Defence Services Bill, which bans strikes in defence production sector, is listed for passage in the Lok Sabha along with the Tribunals Reforms Bill. In the Rajya Sabha, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill is listed for passage.
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