Oppn Pushes for Shah's Statement on LS Breach

New Delhi: The Opposition parties have demanded a discussion in both Houses on the security breach and continue to press for a statement by home minister Amit Shah, to be followed by a discussion.

The Congress accused the BJP’s IT department head, Amit Malviya, of seeking to divert attention from the Parliament security breach, and pointed out the intruders were given access to the House by a BJP MP.

AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said this after Mr Malviya shared pictures where a woman arrested for Wednesday’s incident is seen purportedly campaigning for the Congress.

Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday urged Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar to allow a discussion on it under Rule 267. In a letter to the Chairman, Mr Kharge urged him to not take up any other business in the House and keep the proceedings limited to the discussion on the security breach.

He called security breach in the Lok Sabha chamber and in Parliament’s precincts “a very grave matter, unparalleled in the recent past”. Mr Kharge added: “In view of the gravity of the matter, myself in consultation with the floor leaders of the INDIA parties in Parliament have come to a considered view that the matter is of such a critical importance that it needs to be raised under Rule 267 of the Rules and Procedure of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha).

Articulating the demands of the INDIA parties, Mr Jairam Ramesh said: “A detailed statement by the home minister in both Houses, followed by a discussion on the very serious and shocking security breach witnessed in the Lok Sabha yesterday. Strict action against BJP MP Pratap Simha, who provided the visitor passes to the intruders.”

He further added: “The Modi government’s refusal to accept these perfectly legitimate and reasonable demands has led to the adjournment of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha today morning.” The leaders of the Opposition parties had earlier met in Mr Kharge’s chamber and decided to raise the matter in both Houses.