Several members of parliament on Wednesday expressed serious concerns over a massive security breach in the Lok Sabha on the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attacks.
Two persons who were at the visitors’ gallery of the Lok Sabha jumped inside the House where the proceedings were being held. The intruders jumped from public gallery number four at around 1 pm when the Zero hour was in progress.They also shouted slogans like ‘tanashahi nahi chalegi’, and ran inside the house spreading yellow gas. Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury asked where were the security officials when the breach took place. “Today itself, we paid floral tribute to our brave hearts who sacrificed their lives during the Parliament attack and today itself there was an attack here inside the House.” “Does it prove that we failed to maintain a high level of security?…All the MPs fearlessly nabbed the two people but I want to know where were the security officials when all of this happened?” he said in the Lok Sabha. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said,”The issue is very serious. This is not a question of just Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, this is about how two people were able to come inside despite such elaborate security and cause a security breach.”ALSO READ: Parliament security scare: Courageous MPs confront intruder; watch video
Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandopadhyay said,”It was a terrible experience. Nobody could guess what was their target and why were they doing this. We all left the House immediately, but it was a security lapse. How could they enter with instruments releasing smoke?”Rashtriya Loktantrik Party MP Hanuman Beniwal said,”This is a big security breach and it should be investigated properly. Action should be taken against those responsible for this breach.”ALSO READ: Lucknow Aadhaar, canisters in shoes, slogans: Eyewitness accounts on 2 Lok Sabha intruders
‘Thorough investigation underway’
Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla said that a thorough investigation into the security breach inside the House is underway. “Essential instructions have also been given to Delhi Police. In the primary investigation, it has been found that it was just a smoke and there is no need to worry about the smoke,” he said. (With PTI, ANI inputs)
