Parliament security breach: Oppn members demand govt statement; LS adjourns till 2 pm

New Delhi, Dec 14 (PTI) Opposition members in the Lok Sabha on Thursday held vociferous protests demanding a statement from the government on the Parliament security breach even as Speaker Om Birla asserted that security of the Parliament complex is the responsibility of the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

As the protests and slogan shouting continued during the Question Hour, Birla adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm.

On Wednesday, two people jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitors’ gallery, shouted slogans and released coloured smoke from canisters that triggered panic and chaos in the House.

Birla said all are concerned about what happened in the House on Wednesday and asserted that Parliament complex security is the responsibility of the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

“It is our jurisdiction,” he asserted and told the Opposition members that he is ready to again discuss the security breach issue with them.

Deputy Leader of the House and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said all should come together and condemn the incident and there is no point in protesting in the House.

“All have condemned it. We need to be careful… we should not give passes to those who create disturbances,” Singh said amid the din.

In the old building too, incidents of throwing paper and “jumping” have taken place, he said and added there is no need to create disturbances in the House.

As soon as the House met for the day, Opposition members started demanding a statement from the government on the security breach and shouted slogans.

At least two questions and their supplementaries were taken up during the Question Hour, which went on for around 15 minutes.

The Speaker named three Congress members — T N Prathapan, Dean Kuriakose and Hibi Eden — and warned them against creating disturbances in the House before he adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm.

Soon after the security breach on Wednesday, Birla had ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday had ordered a probe into the Parliament security breach incident following a request from the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

The inquiry committee, headed by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Director General Anish Dayal Singh, along with members from other security agencies and experts, will find out the lapse in the security of Parliament and recommend action, an MHA spokesperson said.

Sources on Thursday said that eight personnel have been suspended for lapses.