Government, opposition agree to take up 7 bills after Venkaiah Naidu's intervention

New Delhi, Aug 04: With a stalemate in Parliament over the Pegasus spyware issue continuing for the 11th day, the government and various opposition parties agreed on Tuesday to take up a statutory resolution and seven bills in the Rajya Sabha.

Sources said at a meeting to chalk out the work to be taken up in the Upper House of Parliament, it was decided to allot 17 hours to a discussion on these bills.

The meeting was chaired by Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, who again appealed to all sides to enable the House to function normally, the sources said.

After Naidu met the top brass in the government, including the defence and home ministers, the Centre at the meeting reiterated its willingness to discuss the farmers'' issue, price rise and the economic situation in the country.

Naidu urged other parties to take this forward, but the Opposition insisted on a discussion on the Pegasus snooping controversy and the threat it poses to national security.

Among the bills that are likely to be taken up in the House are the Tribunals Reforms Bill, the Airports Regulation Authority Bill, the General Insurance Nationalisation (Amendment) Bill, the Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill and the Deposits Insurance Bill.

The sources said it was also agreed to take up a notice given by Communist Party of India (CPI) member Binoy Viswam and MV Shreyams Kumar for annulling the recently-issued Information Technology Rules.

However, the Opposition is insisting on a discussion on the Pegasus issue first, before any business is taken up.

"No business will be taken up in the House till the issue of snooping is discussed," an Opposition member said.

The uproar caused by the Opposition members has affected the business in the House and some bills have been passed in the din.