The members of Parliament, cutting across party lines, expressed concern over the security breach inside the Lok Sabha on Wednesday as two visitors jumped into the chamber from the public gallery and opened smoke canisters during the Zero Hour. The security breach, which happened on the 22nd anniversary of the Parliament attack, sent shock waves through the establishment.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla informed the House that during the initial investigation, it was revealed that it was not poisonous smoke and the attackers merely intended to create some sensationalism. The speaker told the House as it reconvened after the incident that two persons were apprehended and their belongings were seized. He said he would apprise the House of the findings of the investigation.
Birla said it was his responsibility to find out how this breach happened.
Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said it was a serious matter as it happened on the day when the anniversary of the Parliament attack was being observed. He sought to know how such a serious security breach could take place inside the new Parliament building.
TMC member Sudip Bandyopadhyay raised the issue of security inside and outside the Parliament complex saying people gathering outside to take selfies cause inconvenience to MPs.
Birla said he would convene a meeting and listen to the suggestions and concerns of the members. “We will incorporate changes with regards to security and issuance of passes. The house had functioned after the December 13 attack incident and it is functioning today also.”
The incident caused a scare among the MPs. While two people caused the ruckus inside the Parliament, two others were caught outside the Lok Sabha building after they protested outside carrying cans that emitted yellow and red smoke.
BJP MP from Karnataka Prathap Simha reportedly had authorised the passes that were issued to two persons who jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior ministers were not present inside the House when the security breach occurred as they were away for the swearing-in ceremony of new chief ministers in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were present inside.
“As the House was on, I heard a loud thump. I thought someone had fallen. Soon another jumped inside. The first visitor started running towards members. We caught him, but by then he took out something from his shoe as smoke filled the house. He was caught we thrashed him as we thought he had come to hurt us,” BSP MP Malook Nagar said.
The two caught inside the House were identified as Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D. while those caught outside the Parliament were identified as Nilam Kaur and Anmol Shinde.
Sharma belongs to Alambagh in Lucknow and is an e-rickshaw driver. He had reportedly told his family members that he was going to Delhi and would return in two to three days.
Nilam’s family members said they don’t know how she reached Delhi as she was in Hisar for studies. After being caught Nilam said she was protesting to be heard as they were unemployed.
They were taken to the Parliament House police station where they were questioned by senior police officers and officials from the intelligence department.
The Parliament secretariat is likely to review the security arrangements inside the House and make the laws for the entry of visitors even tighter. Any visitor has to pass through multiple levels of security and is not allowed to carry anything inside. The Aadhaar cards of the visitors are also checked before a pass is issued.
Members said the visitors bringing in smoke canisters tucked inside their shoes showed that there was much planning that went into the attack. “The security agencies had input that some trouble may be caused on the anniversary of the Parliament attack; this is a massive lapse of security. All visitors reach the house through the same gate inside the new building. They were not properly checked,” Chowdhury said.