NEW DELHI: Family members of Neelam, one of the two persons arrested for protesting outside Parliament on Wednesday, said she had earlier participated in several agitations including farmers’ movement. Neelam’s mother Saraswati Devi told reporters at her house in Ghaso Khurd village in Haryana’s Jind that she came to know about the incident through the media.
Some locals from her village said that she had also gone to the site of wrestlers’ agitation at Jantar Mantar
Two persons, including Neelam, protested outside Parliament and sprayed coloured gas from canisters while shouting slogans ‘tanashahi nahi chalegi’ (dictatorship will not be allowed). They were arrested by the Delhi Police.
Neelam (36) was staying in a PG accommodation in Hisar for the last five months where she was preparing for competitive examinations, her brother Ram Niwas said. “I got a call from my elder brother to switch on the TV. He told me that Neelam was arrested in Delhi,” he said.
According to him, she actively participated in farmers’ protest. She had also once gone to Khatkar toll plaza in Jind district with a group of protesting farmers, he said, adding that she was highly qualified.
He said she has done MA and MPhil, but was upset over not getting a job.
She also protested against issues like unemployment, said residents of Ghaso Khurd. Neelam’s mother said, “I don’t know how she took this step. Maybe she did this to get a job. I spoke to my daughter this morning and she asked me to regularly take my medicines.”
MHA orders probe
Hours after the security breach, the Ministry of Home Affairs ordered an enquiry into the incident. “On request from Lok Sabha Secretariat, MHA has ordered an enquiry of Parliament security breach incident,” a spokesperson said. According to the officials, the enquiry committee will investigate into the reasons for breach in security of Parliament, identify lapses and recommend further action
Unit created in 1929
The Watch and Ward staff at the Parliament complex played a vital role in saving precious lives on the fateful day. Created way back in 1929, the Watch and Ward staff, provides and maintains protective, preventive, and pro-active security within Parliament House Estate. As soon as the attack began, the staff members immediately closed all the doors of the Parliament building, preventing the terrorists from entering the House. In April, 2009, the Watch and Ward were renamed as the Parliament Security Service.