For the second time in a week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hit out at the Opposition for stalling Parliament proceedings and allegedly insulting the legislature and the Constitution. The lashing comes amid Opposition disruption of the House proceeding in support of their demand for a discussion on the Pegasus row, which allegedly involves spying on politicians, journalists and other public figures.

Briefing reporters on Modi’s speech at the BJP parliamentary party meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the Prime Minister expressed anger at the conduct of some Opposition members and noted that those who tore papers and threw it around have remained unrepentant. “This shows their arrogance”, Modi said and asked his party members to maintain restraint, reports PTI.

The reference was to Trinamool’s Rajya Sabha member Santanu Sen snatching and tearing the papers from which IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw was reading out a statement on the Pegasus spying row. A tweet by Trinamool’s Derek O’Brien, criticising the manner in which bills were being passed, also drew PM Modi’s ire, Joshi and another Union minister V Muraleedharan told reporters.

The  Trinamool lawmaker had tweeted, “In the first 10 days, Modi-Shah rushed through and passed 12 Bills at an average time of UNDER SEVEN MINUTES per Bill. Passing legislation or making papri chaat!” 

Such comments are “derogatory” to the parliamentary procedure and the esteem of elected representatives, Muraleedharan said quoting Modi.

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On July 26, PM had hit out at the Congress for the deadlock in Parliament, asking BJP MPs to ‘to expose the Opposition’ as it was not attending meetings or allowing the House to conduct any business.

PM’s attack on the Opposition came on the day Congress’s Rahul Gandhi led an Opposition  cycle march to Parliament. This was preceded by a strategy braeakfast meeting.

Leaders of JMM, JKNC besides IUML, RSP, KCM and RSP were also present at the meeting. Trinamool Congress, which had skipped the last meeting of Opposition leaders by Gandhi, was also present at today’s breakfast meet, reports PTI.