The opposition MPs have been demanding a discussion on the Parliament security breach that took place two days back.
Published Dec 15, 2023 | 1:38 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 15, 2023 | 1:38 PM
MPs protesting against suspension. (Shashitharoor/ X)
On Friday, 15 December, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm amid protest by the Opposition parties.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned in less than a minute of the House meeting for the day as Opposition MPs raised slogans demanding Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement on the Parliament security breach.
As soon as the House met at 11 am, Opposition MPs held up placards and raised slogans. Most of them trooped into the Well, raising slogans seeking the resignation of the Union home minister and his presence in the House.
The Opposition MPs have been demanding a discussion on the security breach that took place two days back.
They are also seeking action against the BJP MP who authorised the passes for the two people who jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitors’ gallery on 13 December.
Rajendra Agrawal, who was chairing the proceedings on Friday, adjourned the House till 2 pm.
While the Rajya Sabha proceedings were too adjourned till 2 pm after Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar rejected the Opposition parties’ notices to suspend the scheduled business of the day to discuss the security breach in Parliament.
Soon after the listed papers were laid on the table, the Chairman informed the House that he had received 23 notices regarding the “serious situation” arising from Wednesday’s Parliament security breach.
Dhankhar said an investigation into the incident is underway, and it will be taken to a logical conclusion.
“I unable to persuade myself to allow the notices,” he said, which led to a protest by Opposition parties.
Some of the Opposition parties also raised the issue of suspension of TMC member Derek O’Brien from the House for the remaining part of the Winter session scheduled to conclude on 22 December.
Amid protest, the Chairman adjourned the proceedings till 2 PM.
Suspended DMK MP K Kanimozhi criticising the government said, “BJP has been repeatedly saying that they are the only ones who can protect the country but they can’t even protect the Parliament. The Prime Minister could have been there inside the Parliament.”
She further added: “They couldn’t protect their own Prime Minister and then they are saying that we are politicising the issue.”
#WATCH | Delhi: On her suspension from the Lok Sabha, DMK MP K Kanimozhi says, “BJP has been repeatedly saying that they are the only ones who can protect the country but they can’t even protect the Parliament. The Prime Minister could have been there inside the Parliament. They… pic.twitter.com/m3d8Zw1WZG
— ANI (@ANI) December 15, 2023
The suspended Congress MP Manickam Tagore, who has been protesting in front of the Gandhi statue said, “All the MPs of the INDIA alliance are united and we were all undemocratically suspended yesterday.”
“INDIA alliance leaders have decided to take up the cause for which we are fighting. They will continue to raise those issues in the Parliament,” he added.
#WATCH | Delhi: On his suspension from the Lok Sabha, Congress MP Manickam Tagore says, “All the MPs of the INDIA alliance are united and we were all undemocratically suspended yesterday. We are having a silent protest in front of the Gandhi statue and we will continue the… pic.twitter.com/4naP7Oanh4
— ANI (@ANI) December 15, 2023
Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor joined the protest against the suspension of the MPs on Thursday, 14 December.
Taking to X, he said: “Joined protesting Opposition MPs this morning outside the Makar Dawar of the new parliament building to protest the arbitrary suspension of MPs.”
He further said, “The sign on the door says ‘SatyamevaJayate’ but we have a government that believes only in ‘SattaMeva Jayate’.”
Joined protesting opposition MPs this morning outside the Makar Dawar of the new parliament building to protest the arbitrary suspension of MPs. The sign on the door says “SatyamevaJayate” but we have a government that believes only in “SattaMeva Jayate”! @INCIndia pic.twitter.com/lVxwA5wSWg
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 15, 2023
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday asked Union Home Minister Amit Shah why he was not giving a statement in Parliament on the security breach issue but was giving interviews to TV channels.
He also asked if “illegally” suspending MPs who asked questions on the Parliament breach was justice.
“What kind of justice is it to illegally suspend opposition MPs over the huge lapse in security of Parliament and its MPs,” Kharge asked.
“INDIA parties demand that Shri Amit Shah should give a statement in the Parliament and then it should be discussed in both the houses,” the Congress chief said.
“It is our duty to raise our voice on this serious issue of national security, it is our parliamentary duty,” Kharge also said in a post in Hindi on X.
AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh concurred with his colleague’s demand for a statement from Shah on the “shocking” security breach.
Speaking to the news agency PTI, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi asked the Opposition MPs to not protest, and participate in the session. About the Bills to be tabled, he said, “The criminal reform Bills will be introduced from Monday, they have been sent to a standing committee too, and they need to be discussed in the house.”
Speaking of the protest he said: “The matter is in the court and a high-level enquiry is also going on, despite that they are not allowing the House to function. They should understand that this is a sensitive issue and behave responsibly.”
VIDEO | “The matter is in the court and a high-level enquiry is also going on, despite that they are not allowing the House to function. They should understand that this is a sensitive issue and behave responsibly,” says Parliamentary Affairs minister @JoshiPralhad on… pic.twitter.com/Dsog9YqNJy
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 15, 2023
(With PTI inputs)
