NEW DELHI: Floor leaders of the opposition's INDIA bloc held a meeting on Monday ahead of the commencement of the 11th day of the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament. The Opposition members are demanding a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah since two persons with gas canisters jumped into the Lok Sabha from the visitors' gallery, triggering panic inside the House.
The members of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance met in the chamber of Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament to discuss a strategy to corner the Centre in both the houses. Senior leaders like Farooq Abdullah, Jairam Ramesh, Ramgopal Yadav and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury attended the meeting.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge reiterated the demand for a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah in the House. Hitting out at the BJP-led central government over the massive security breach, the Congress President said that the BJP leaders are not ready to let the House function.
"It is a serious issue and the government should pay attention to it. We are repeatedly saying in Parliament that the Union Home Minister should come to the House and give a statement but he does not want to come. They (BJP) are not ready to let the House function. This is not a good thing for democracy but there is no point in talking to people who do not believe in democracy," Kharge told ANI.
DMK MP T Siva said, "What we are asking for is not abnormal...The govt is saying a probe is going on. Let the Home Minister come to the Parliament & make a statement on how it happened, actions taken & developments...Our intention is not to disturb the Parliament, at the same time we expect govt to respond."
Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, "The Opposition wants to talk about the breach in the security of the Parliament, the pass given by BJP MP and loopholes in the security...This is a very serious issue for us..."
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The INDIA bloc, who faced a setback after their 14 MPs—13 in Lok Sabha and one from Rajya Sabha —were suspended for the remainder of the Winter Session for creating a ruckus inside their respective Houses while demanding Shah's statement, is expected to keep the heat on the issue for some days.
In a major security breach on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack on Wednesday, two persons—Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D—jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released yellow gas from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by the MPs.
Around the same time, two other accused—Amol Shinde and Neelam Devi—sprayed coloured gas from canisters while shouting "tanashahi nahi chalegi" outside Parliament premises.
All four were sent to seven-day custody of the Delhi Police Special Cell on December 14.
Meanwhile, in a bid to stick to the matter, several MPs from opposition parties have given notices in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, seeking a discussion on the recent breach in Parliament security today.
Congress Lok Sabha MP Manish Tewari has given an Adjournment Motion notice to discuss the Parliament security breach incident. Congress MPs Rajeev Shukla, Ranjeet Ranjan and DMK MP T Siva have moved a Suspension of Business notice in Rajya Sabha to discuss the December 13 incident.