Lok Sabha proceedings adjourned till noon

New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 12 noon on Monday due to protests by opposition members who were demanding a statement by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and his resignation over the issue of breach of Parliament security.

After the House paid tributes to Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who passed away on Saturday, Speaker Om Birla told the House about the steps taken by the Lok Sabha secretariat following the security breach incident on December 13 and sought cooperation from all members to run the House smoothly.

However, the opposition members were on their feet demanding a statement from Shah and his resignation.

Some opposition MPs were also carrying placards with their demands written on it.

Birla objected to the placards being brought into the House, saying it lowers the dignity of the House.

Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi also appealed to the opposition members “with folded hands” to not to wave the placards, saying it was agreed at the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee not to carry placards.

The opposition MPs ignored the appeal of Birla as well as Joshi and continued their protests along with sloganeering, leading to the speaker announcing adjustment of the House till 12 noon.

The opposition was also demanding action against BJP MP Pratap Simha, who had authorised the visitor passes for the two men who last week jumped inside the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitors’ gallery with smoke canisters.

Earlier, the speaker said that the whole House has expressed concern over the “unfortunate” incident that had taken place on December 13.

He said a number of steps were taken to beef up security of Parliament while several suggestions given by the members were accepted too and more steps are likely to be taken soon.

A high level inquiry has been ordered and its investigation is going on while a high powered committee has also been constituted by Parliament to go into the issue, he said.

Birla said concrete action will be taken so that no such incident takes place in the future.

He, however, said a number of incidents like sloganeering and throwing of papers by the visitors from the gallery had taken place in the past too, besides one incident of spraying.

“Whatever steps will be taken, it will be taken after taking the House into confidence. It is very unfortunate that the issue (security breach) has been politicised and some people have tried to link that to suspension of some MPs,” he said.

As many as 12 Lok Sabha MPs and one Rajya Sabha MP were suspended for the remainder of the session for disrupting the proceedings of the House while protesting against the Parliament security breach incident.

The speaker said the suspension of the MPs has nothing to do with the December 13 incident.

“I feel pain when a member is suspended from the House. When we framed the rules, we have decided that dignity of the House will be maintained, there will be no sloganeering and no one will carry placards. As a speaker, I want to run the House smoothly. People of the country also want that. Debate, discussions are part of a healthy democracy,” he said.

Birla said he wants to appeal to every members to cooperate for the sake of the nation.

“But there will be no placards and no sloganeering. This House belongs to you. It is my responsibility as a speaker to ensure your security. Whatever necessary steps to be taken, we will take. We will take help from the government. We will find out solution to all of your concerns,” he said.

Birla also announced the resignation of Hanuman Beniwal, who was elected from Rajasthan’s Nagaur constituency.

In a major security breach on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack last Wednesday, two men — Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D — jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during the Zero Hour, released coloured smoke and shouted slogans, before being overpowered by the MPs. Two others, including a woman, were detained outside the Parliament complex for staging a protest.