“It was an intelligence failure…Amit Shah must answer”: Congress MP Tagore on Parliament Security breach

New Delhi [India], December 14 (ANI): Blaming the Parliament security breach on an ‘intelligence failure’ by the Centre, Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Thursday demanded a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the matter, saying that he cannot run away from the situation.

Speaking to ANI on Thursday, the Congress Lok Sabha MP said, “It was an intelligence failure of the Centre and we demand a fair and impartial probe into the incident. Home Minister Amit Shah must answer, as the Delhi Police and all the security agencies report to him. He cannot run away from his responsibilities. BJP MP Mr. Simha gave passes to the intruders. There is a very deep conspiracy behind this and he (Amit Shah) must not be left unpunished.”

Earlier, on Thursday, Tagore gave an Adjournment Motion notice in the Lok Sabha demanding a discussion on the Parliament security breach and a reply from the Union Home Minister on the issue.

Echoing the demand for a statement from the Union Home Minister on the security breach, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, “The problem is that the MPs have the feeling that the government is not taking this (security breach) seriously enough. We must hear from the government at the highest level. We want the Home Minister to come and speak on the incident on the floor of the Parliament.”

The Lok Sabha on Thursday was adjourned till 2 pm after Opposition members created a ruckus inside the Lower House over Wednesday’s security breach.

Opposition members also raised slogans demanding the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah.

Amid the din, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh requested the House members to remain vigilant while issuing passes to people.

“Everyone has condemned this incident. You (Speaker) have taken cognisance of the matter. We have to be careful about whom we issue passes (to enter Parliament). All necessary precautions will be taken in future. There have been previous incidents of people jumping into the House from the visitors’ gallery in the old parliament building,” Singh said.

Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha Secretariat suspended a total of eight security personnel in connection with Wednesday’s security breach incident.

In the Rajya Sabha, TMC MP Derek O’Brien was suspended for the remainder of the Winter Session for ‘gross misconduct’ and ‘defying the Chair’ during the proceedings on Thursday.

O’Brien demanded a discussion on the security breach, in which two men jumped from the visitors’ gallery into the Lok Sabha and set off yellow smoke canisters.

So far, four people have been arrested in connection with the case.

Police informed that two people, one of whom identified as Vicky, and his wife are being interrogated. The other accused in the case, Lalit Jha, is reported to be absconding.

The Winter Session is scheduled to culminate on December 22.