Parliament security breach: Opposition seeks Amit Shah's statement, TMC wants BJP MP Prathap Simha expelled
Aditi Tandon
New Delhi, December 13
The Congress-led Opposition on Wednesday demanded Union Home Minister Amit Shah statement on Parliament security breach and walked out of Rajya Sabha on the issue even as the government urged the grand old party not to politicise the matter.
Parties in the anti-BJP alliance INDIA walked out of the House of Elders after 2 pm insisting that the House be adjourned till Amit Shah clarified the situation.
Serious gaps in security
There are serious gaps in the security of the new Parliament building. MPs, security personnel and visitors are all allowed to enter from one gate. —Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Cong
Leader of Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal however urged all parties to let the Rajya Sabha run and send a signal of solidarity across the country.
“Rajya Sabha is the House of Elders. We should give a message that the country is above all this. The Congress is indulging in politicisation of the issue. This won’t be good for the nation. I request the Leader of Opposition. An inquiry is being held. Let us wait for the findings and let the House run smoothly,” Goyal said after Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge insisted on Shah’s statement.
The Opposition parties will meet here on Thursday to take a position on the breach which they described as the “most serious issue not to be taken lightly.”
At the all-party meeting that LS Speaker Om Birla called later today to discuss the breach, TMC demanded action against BJP’s Mysuru MP on whose signatures two intruders entered the Lok Sabha public gallery today, jumped into the chamber and unleashed gaseous fumes.
After the Speaker’s meeting, TMC leader in LS Sudip Bandopadhyay said, “Our MP Mahua Moitra was expelled over a password. It was said she had compromised national security. We asked the Speaker to name the MP who gave passes to the intruders today. Is this not a question of security? What would have happened had the smoke been poisonous?” he asked while TMC, in a post on X, said BJP MP Prathap Simha had put the security of the entire Parliament at risk. “What is stopping him from getting expelled?” TMC asked.
