Opp parties stage walkout as HM refuses to speak

NEW DELHI, Dec 13: After a heated debate in Parliament over the massive security breach in Rajya Sabha, INDIA parties staged walkout on the issue and refusal of the Home Minister to make a statement on the matter.
In a post on X, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “INDIA parties walked out of the Rajya Sabha this afternoon on the issue of the extraordinary events in the Lok Sabha today and the refusal of the Home Minister to make a statement on the matter, especially after such a huge breach of security on the very same day Parliament was attacked 22 years ago.”
His remarks came after Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha demanded for the statement of Shah on the massive security breach issue.
Kharge also demanded that the Upper House be adjourned.
However, Leader of the House Piyush Goyal accused the Congress and the opposition parties of politicising the issue.Several opposition MPs on Wednesday demanded an explanation from Home Minister Amit Shah after two visitors jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitors’ gallery and opened canisters that emitted coloured smoke, triggering panic among the members.
Several opposition MPs also alleged that security arrangements in the new Parliament building is not sufficient and needs to be addressed immediately.
Two persons jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour and released yellow gas from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by MPs. Around the same time, a man and a woman also sprayed coloured gas from canisters while shouting slogans “tanashahi nahi chalegi” outside the Parliament premises.
TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee said the home minister should resign as he failed to ensure the safety of Parliament.
Hanuman Beniwal, among the MPs who caught the intruders, said it should be investigated who endorsed the visitors’ passes for them.
“More than 150 MPs were present during Zero Hour … They (intruders) tried to come to the speaker’s chair. They had something in their shoes,” Beniwal said.
“It should be investigated whose guests they were. They said, ‘We are protesting, we do not have any (other) purpose’…,” he said.
“They thought they will become heroes … we taught them a lesson,” the MP from Rajasthan said.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said the incident raises several questions, adding that they have learnt that a ruling party MP endorsed the intruders’ passes.
RJD MP Manoj Jha, meanwhile, said concerns about security were raised by several MPs during the special session in September when several visitors resorted to sloganeering inside the House.Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said she raised concerns over security during the last session as well but those were ignored. (PTI)