'Mr Modi, come listen to us': Opposition's message to government amid Pegasus row

NEW DELHI: Ahead of final week of monsoon session of the Parliament, ten opposition parties have come together and released a video with a message to the government saying, "come listen to us."
In the three-minute video, the opposition leaders are demanding a discussion in the parliament on several issues including farm laws and alleged snooping using Pegasus spyware.
The video comprises of statements made by the opposition leaders in Rajya Sabha, with the words "farmer" and "Pegasus" in the opening lines.

"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 on Pegasus now," Congress leader and leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge is heard saying in the video.
"Pegasus has reached everyone's house. We have to discuss this," RJD's Manoj Jha said.
The ten opposition parties who have representation in the video are Congress, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena, TRS, DMK, Aam Aadmi Party, CPM, RJD and NCP.
Shiv Sena MP in Rajya Sabha Priyanka Chaturvedi said in a democracy if the government of the day has a responsibility, so does the opposition.
"Whether it is about farmers, about the economy, safety and security of women, just the word mentioned by the opposition makes them silence our voices, makes them adjourn Parliament, makes them mute our microphones.
"Our inability to be heard by a government which is so brazen has made us realise that the only way we can speak and make our point heard is when such bills are being discussed and passed in such a hurry," Chaturvedi said.
While the CPM accused the government of "stealing" parliamentary democracy, TMC's Sukhendu Shekar Roy raised the issue of "freedom of speech in Parliament".
The opposition has insisted that it will not call off its protests inside Parliament without the government allowing a full-fledged debate on the Pegasus scandal.
Meanwhile, parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi said that the controversy was a "non-issue" and that the government was ready for discussions on people-related issues.
The session is scheduled to conclude on August 13.
(With agency inputs)