New Delhi, Aug 4 (IANS): Eighteen leaders of the like-minded opposition parties on Wednesday issued a joint statement and demanded discussion on the Pegasus snooping issue.

The statement reads: "The opposition parties stand firm and united on their demand for a discussion on the Pegasus issue in both the Houses, replied to by the Home Minister, as this has national security dimensions."

The opposition has also unequivocally conveyed that 'the discussion on the farmers' issues and agitations arising from the three anti-farmers and black agri-laws should follow the discussion on Pegasus'.

"It is unfortunate that the government has unleashed a misleading campaign to malign the combined opposition and blame it for the continued disruption in Parliament. The responsibility for the deadlock lies squarely at the doorsteps of the government, which remains arrogant and obdurate and refuses to accept the opposition's demand for an informed debate in both the Houses." it said

The opposition also said, "It urges the government to respect parliamentary democracy and accept the discussions."

The letter was issued jointly by Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha; Sharad Pawar, NCP; T.R. Balu, DMK; Anand Sharma, Congress, Ramgopal Yadav, SP; Derek O' Brien, Trinamool; Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena; Kalyan Banerjee, Trinamool, Vinayak Raut, Shiv Sena; Tiruchi Siva, DMK; Manoj Jha, RJD; Elamaram Kareem, CPI-M, Sushil Gupta, AAP; E.T. Mohd. Basheer, IUML; Hasnain Masoodi, N; Binoy Viswam, CPI; N.K. Premachandran, RSP; and M.V, Shreyams Kumar, LJD.