TMC MP snatches paper on Pegasus from IT Minister’s hand, tears it in Parliament

New Delhi: A major scuffle broke out in Rajya Sabha on Thursday after TMC MP Santanu Sen snatched the statement on Pegasus controversy from Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and tore it into pieces.

Vaishnaw was reading a statement on the Pegasus project amid an ongoing row over alleged large scale snooping involving politicians when the TMC MP snatched the paper from the Minister's hand and tore it into pieces on the floor of the Rajya Sabha. Sen was seen on national television snatching the report right out of the Minister`s hand, tearing it apart and then throwing the shredded pieces into the air.

Following this, there was a verbal feud between BJP and TMC MPs. Marshals intervened to bring the situation under control. Heated words were exchanged between Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Santanu Sen.

"When they can kill their opponents in Bengal & misbehave with women, they can do anything. Today they snatched paper & tore it, it won`t be a surprise if they tear clothes tomorrow. I condemn it," said Mahesh Poddar, BJP MP.

The proceedings of Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the day on Thursday as opposition members demanded adjournment of work to discuss the Pegasus project, farmers' protests and raids on media houses. After two brief adjournments, when the House began at 2 pm, the opposition members did not allow IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav to make a statement on the Pegasus issue, following which, the proceedings were adjourned for the day.

Vaishnaw has rubbished reports of alleged spying of Indians through Israeli spyware Pegasus, informing the Rajya Sabha that the publication of such a report just before the monsoon session of Parliament is not a coincidence but an attempt to tarnish the image of Indian democracy. Amid uproar by opposition members in the Upper House, Vaishnav said in a statement that illegal surveillance by an unauthorized person is not possible when there is already a system of control and surveillance in the country.