Parliament security breach: Opposition demands discussion, strict action against Pratap Simha

Opposition members in the Lok Sabha on Thursday (December 14) raised slogans demanding a statement from the government on the issue of Parliament security breach.

Speaker Om Birla said the security of the Parliament complex is the responsibility of the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

"It is our jurisdiction," he asserted.

The slogans were raised during the Question Hour.

"All have condemned it. We need to be careful...we should not give passes to those who create disturbances," Union minister Rajnath Singh told the House.

In the old building too, incidents of throwing paper and "jumping" have taken place, he said.

There is no need to create disturbance in the House, Singh said.

Earlier, leaders of various Opposition parties on Thursday held a meeting and demanded that the issue of breach in Parliament security be taken up seriously and discussed in both houses.

The leaders met in the chamber of Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge.

Several Congress MPs, including Kharge, have given notices for adjournment in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to discuss the issue while setting aside all other business of the House.

While Congress MP and whip Manickam Tagore has given an adjournment notice in Lok Sabha, party MP and whip in Rajya Sabha Naseer Hussain gave a similar adjournment notice under Rule 267 for discussing the issue.

Another Party MP Jebi Mather also gave a notice under Rule 267 in the Rajya Sabha to discuss the issue.

Some parties are also contemplating meeting President Droupadi Murmu on the security issue and seek her intervention as it involves the security of all MPs.

In his adjournment notice, Hussain said two unauthorised visitors infiltrated the Lok Sabha chamber, causing chaos by shouting slogans and detonating smoke bombs while the House was in session He said before this intrusion, two protestors engaged in a demonstration outside Parliament House, where they also ignited smoke bombs "These incidents seem to be part of a coordinated effort, involving a total of five individuals: the two infiltrators inside the Lok Sabha Chamber, the two protestors, and an additional person, all suspected to be working in collusion "Given the gravity of the situation and its direct impact on the security of the esteemed institution of Parliament and its members, I propose that we demand a statement from the Home Minister regarding this matter.

"Subsequently, I suggest that the House engage in a comprehensive discussion on urgent remedial security measures to address and prevent such breaches in the future," Hussain said in his adjournment notice." In a major security breach on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack on Wednesday, two persons -- Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D -- jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released yellow gas from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by the MPs.

In a post on X, senior Congress leader and he party's general secretary in-charge of communications, said that the INDIA alliance parties are demanding a detailed statement by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah in both the Houses.

"The INDIA parties are demanding: 1. A detailed statement by the Home Minister in both Houses, followed by a discussion on the very serious and shocking security breach witnessed in the Lok Sabha yesterday. 2. Strict action against the BJP MP Pratap Simha who provided the visitor passes to the intruders.

"The Modi government’s refusal to accept these perfectly legitimate and reasonable demands has led to the adjournment of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha today morning," he wrote.

In a major security breach on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack on Wednesday, two persons – Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D – jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released yellow gas from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by some MPs.

Around the same time, two other accused – Amol Shinde and Neelam Devi – sprayed coloured gas from canisters while shouting "tanashahi nahi chalegi" outside Parliament premises.

Police said the four were part of a group of six people who planned the incident. So far, five have been arrested and the other accused is on the run.