Uproar in Parliament over security breach, ‘Need to be careful’: Rajnath Singh
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Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday issued a statement on the security breach in Parliament as he cautioned all MPs against issuing entry passes to anyone. This is the first statement from the government a day after two men intruded the Lok Sabha during the Zero Hour and sprayed yellow gas in a major scare. The opposition has been demanding a statement from either PM Modi or Union home minister Amit Shah. As Parliament assembled at 11am on Thursday, there was sloganeering inside both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. 'Shame, shame,' the opposition members chanted and both the houses were adjourned.
The security breach became the latest flashpoint between the BJP and the opposition as Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D -- the two men who jumped inside the Lok Sabha from the visitors' gallery had BJP MP Pratap Simha's name on their entry passes.
"It was an unfortunate incident. There are no two opinions about it. And you (Speaker) ordered an inquiry into the incident immediately. All MPs -- both govt and the opposition -- should be alert to not issue passes to someone who can create such an anarchic situation in the House," Rajnath Singh.
"Also, I want to bring this to your (Speaker) notice that in our old building too, there were incidents of sloganeering, jumping like this. So in my opinion, we all should come together to condemn the incident," the defence minister said.
Eight Lok Sabha personnel were suspended as the security breach took place when they were on their duty. The home ministry ordered a probe and five accused have been arrested under stringent anti-terror charges of the UAPA.
In the Rajya Sabha, similar disruptive scenes unfolded as chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar disallowed 28 notices served by the opposition MPs who sought the suspension of business for the day to discuss the security breach. The opposition MPs went to the Well of the House and demanded Amit Shah's reply. Dhankhar took Trinamool'd Derek O' Brien's name and asked him to leave the House. Dhankhar called Derek O'Brien's conduct a "defiance" of the Chair and "serious misconduct".
