15 Indian Opposition MPs Suspended for Protests Regarding Parliament Security Breach
Fifteen opposition MPs in India have been suspended following protests about a security breach in Parliament. The breach saw four arrests linked to individuals who set off smoke and chanted inside the building on the anniversary of a 2001 terror attack. An investigation has been initiated by the home ministry. Enhanced security measures, including barricades, have been implemented post-incident.
The breach prompted opposition demands for an official discussion and statements from the Prime Minister and Home Minister, leading to adjournment of Parliament. MP Derek O'Brien was specifically suspended for unruly behavior in the upper house, while fourteen others from various opposition parties were barred from attending the session until December 22.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasized the importance of vigilance in issuing Parliament entry passes. Allegations have been made against BJP MP Pratap Simha for allegedly authorizing the passes for the intruders, though he has yet to respond publicly.
Visitor passes have been temporarily halted pending a security review. The identities of the four individuals, who are from different Indian states, are yet to be confirmed by police, although they have been covered by local media.
The incident occurred during a Parliamentary session in the Lok Sabha and after tributes were paid to the 2001 attack victims. It involved two men disrupting the session with colored smoke, one of whom caused a spectacle by jumping across tables, and two others who demonstrated outside the building.
The protesters, who appear to have connected on Facebook, include an unemployed woman named Neelam and Amol Shinde, a man struggling to pass police recruitment tests. Neelam's family expressed unawareness of her actions, and Shinde's family was also unknowing of his involvement.
Two other men, Manoranjan D and Sagar Sharma, who accessed the Parliament, have been identified. Manoranjan's father condemned his son's behavior, while Sagar Sharma, seen jumping on tables, is a rickshaw driver whose mother was informed he was out on work.
Allegedly, a fifth accomplice was detained near Delhi, and another was located in Rajasthan for their roles in aiding the protest.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasized the importance of vigilance in issuing Parliament entry passes. Allegations have been made against BJP MP Pratap Simha for allegedly authorizing the passes for the intruders, though he has yet to respond publicly.
Visitor passes have been temporarily halted pending a security review. The identities of the four individuals, who are from different Indian states, are yet to be confirmed by police, although they have been covered by local media.
The incident occurred during a Parliamentary session in the Lok Sabha and after tributes were paid to the 2001 attack victims. It involved two men disrupting the session with colored smoke, one of whom caused a spectacle by jumping across tables, and two others who demonstrated outside the building.
The protesters, who appear to have connected on Facebook, include an unemployed woman named Neelam and Amol Shinde, a man struggling to pass police recruitment tests. Neelam's family expressed unawareness of her actions, and Shinde's family was also unknowing of his involvement.
Two other men, Manoranjan D and Sagar Sharma, who accessed the Parliament, have been identified. Manoranjan's father condemned his son's behavior, while Sagar Sharma, seen jumping on tables, is a rickshaw driver whose mother was informed he was out on work.
Allegedly, a fifth accomplice was detained near Delhi, and another was located in Rajasthan for their roles in aiding the protest.
