The opposition has been up in arms over the security breach that took place in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the day India marked 22 years since the day when Parliament was attacked in 2001
Our Bureau
New Delhi
In a shocking incident, two men jumped into the Lok Sabha during the Zero Hour from the visitors’ gallery and set off smoke cans that they hid in their shoes. Two other persons set off smoke bombs outside the building. The police sources on Thursday said the four persons arrested in connection with the security breach in Parliament have taken common responsibility for the incident, adding that they were giving “rote answers” to the investigation team of the Delhi Police Special Cell in the matter.
But on Thursday, Lalit Jha, who is allegedly the key accused in the Parliament security breach that took place on the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack, has been arrested by the Delhi police following a massive manhunt.
According to the Delhi Police, “Lalit Jha came to the police station on his own after which the police arrested him and started an interrogation.” The accused, Lalit Jha who had been absconding in the matter was arrested from Delhi. He is alleged to be the mastermind behind the entire conspiracy in the Parliament Security breach case.
Meanwhile, Delhi’s Patiala House Court on Thursday granted seven days custodial remand of all four accused persons arrested in connection with the Parliament security breach matter.
Additional Sessions Judge Dr Hardeep Kaur on Thursday allowed all four accused Manoranjan D, Sagar Sharma, Amol Dhanraj Shinde and Neelam Devi to Mumbai, Mysore, and Lucknow to probe and find actual motives behind their act.
Police lawyers further submitted that the accused carried a pamphlet and declared Prime Minister Modi as a missing person and said the person who found him would be paid with money from the Swiss Bank. Accused persons showed PM like a proclaimed offender.
Meanwhile, amidst uproar in Parliament on Thursday over the suspension of 13 MPs in the wake of the security breach in the Lower House, the Opposition has demanded a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah whereas Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that the Speaker is the custodian of the House and the government is merely complying with the orders of the Speaker.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also asserted that as custodian of the Parliament complex, it was his responsibility to ensure security. “The entire Parliament Secretariat comes under the jurisdiction of Parliament, particularly the Lok Sabha… This is our jurisdiction. As Lok Sabha Speaker, it is my responsibility to ensure everybody’s security,” the speaker said as members raised slogans against the government.
Meanwhile, the Opposition called the suspension of opposition MPs “a horrible, undemocratic move” which is a “murder of democracy.”
The opposition has been up in arms over the security breach that took place in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the day India marked 22 years since the day when Parliament was attacked in 2001. They also demanded a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday’s security breach.
West Bengal Minister and TMC leader Shashi Panja raised questions on the actions taken against BJP MP Pratap Simha who allegedly provided Parliament passes to individuals responsible for triggering panic in the Lok Sabha with smoke canisters.
“If you raise questions in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, you won’t get answers. Instead, you’ll be suspended just like Mahua Moitra and Derek O’Brien. Trinamool Congress will not back off, we’re fighting for our country… Have any steps been taken against BJP MP Pratap Simha for providing passes to these accused? Why isn’t he being suspended and questioned?… If someone has done a recce of the new Parliament premises and tried to pull off a stunt like this in the name of a prank, it should not be taken lightly,” Panja said.
