Parliament Faces Turmoil After Security Breach; 15 MPs Suspended Amidst High Drama

New Delhi: The Indian Parliament witnessed a tumultuous day on Thursday, December 14, marked by high drama in both houses, following a security breach in the Lok Sabha the previous day. The breach led to the suspension of 15 Members of Parliament (MPs) as opposition members across both houses raised slogans, demanding a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Opposition MPs sought to discuss the security breach, but the chairs of the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha resisted. As the government attempted to proceed with other business, opposition members insisted on addressing the issue, resulting in chaos with MPs entering the well and raising slogans.

In the Rajya Sabha, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O’Brien was suspended for the rest of the session for "disrupting the proceedings of the house in utter disregard to the authority of the chair." Similarly, 13 Lok Sabha MPs were suspended for similar reasons. The suspended MPs included Congress members T.N. Prathapan, Hibi Eden, S. Jothimani, Ramya Haridas, Dean Kuriakose, Manickam Tagore, Benny Behanan, K. Sreekandan, Mohammad Jawed; CPI(M)’s P.R. Natarajan and S. Venkatesan, DMK’s Kanimozhi, and K. Subbarayan of the CPI.

The suspension of CPI’s S.R. Parthiban was initially announced but later revoked as he was not present in the house at the time, according to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi.

Kanimozhi, speaking to news agency ANI, questioned the lack of action against BJP MP Pratap Simha, who provided passes to the individuals involved in the security breach. She criticized the suspension of opposition MPs, highlighting the apparent asymmetry in addressing the issue.

The security breach occurred on December 13 when two men jumped from the public gallery into the Lok Sabha, releasing smoke canisters and disrupting proceedings. The men had received entry passes from BJP MP Pratap Simha, but their actions did not result in harm to anyone in the hall.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh termed the breach as "unfortunate" and called for caution in issuing passes. He assured a thorough investigation and emphasized the need for MPs to condemn such incidents.

The Delhi police have arrested five individuals, including the two men who breached security. Derek O’Brien’s suspension in the Rajya Sabha further fueled tensions, leading to the adjournment of both houses within an hour of proceedings starting.

In the Lok Sabha, Joshi accused some members of politicizing the incident and moved a motion to suspend five Congress MPs. He highlighted past security breaches in the Parliament, emphasizing the need for unity in addressing such grave national issues.

Opposition MPs had demanded a detailed statement from Home Minister Amit Shah in both houses and strict action against MP Pratap Simha. The refusal to address these demands led to the adjournment of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for the day.

The situation remains tense as the Parliament grapples with the aftermath of the security breach and the subsequent suspension of opposition MPs.