Shiv Sena demands JPC, Supreme Court probe into Pegasus scandal

New Delhi: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday reiterated the Opposition's demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee and Supreme Court investigation into the Pegasus spyware scandal. Talking to ETV Bharat, Raut said that the entire opposition wants a JPC and investigate the matter under the supervision of the Supreme Court.

On the question of the centre's clarification that it has no role in the Pegasus scandal, Raut said let the investigation take place if the centre doesn't have any role and get a clean chit from Supreme Court.

When asked on the centre's report that no one died due to the oxygen shortage in the country, the Shiv Sena MP said, "We know how many deaths have occurred due to lack of oxygen. It may not have happened in Maharashtra, but in deaths have taken place in states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi." He further added: "I am not holding the state government or the centre responsible for that. This has happened and we should pay more attention to it in the coming days. It should not happen again. The government has assured us yesterday that the country will set up oxygen plants in every district."

Raut said people whose relatives died due to oxygen shortage during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic should "take the Union government to court". His comments came a day after the central government said in the Rajya Sabha that no deaths due to lack of oxygen were specifically reported by states and UTs during the second Covid-19 wave.

"The Union government is running away from the truth. It seems it is the effect of Pegasus (Israeli spyware)," the Rajya Sabha member said sarcastically while talking to reporters. The Sena's chief spokesperson further said it needs to be found out whether the people whose relatives died due to lack of oxygen supply believe in the Centre's response in Parliament over the issue.

The Union government on Tuesday said in the Rajya Sabha that there was an unprecedented surge in demand for medical oxygen during the second wave and it peaked at nearly 9,000 MT compared to 3,095 MT in the first wave, following which the Centre had to step in to facilitate equitable distribution among the states.

(With agency inputs)