On Wednesday, a major case of lapse in the security of Parliament came to light.
A major incident of burglary came to light when during the proceedings of the Lok Sabha, two people jumped inside the House from the audience gallery and spread yellow smoke through a ‘can’.
Both were caught immediately after the incident. The major security lapse in Parliament has exposed the shortcomings in security protocols.
Many leaders raised this issue in the all-party meeting called by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on the issue of security lapse. This incident happened on the anniversary of the terrorist attack on Parliament.
Members of Parliament who were present during the terrorist attack on Parliament on December 13, 2001 and during Wednesday’s incident have narrated their ordeal.
He said the two incidents were very different. Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Cuttack MP Bhartrihari Mahtab was also included among them.
As soon as he finished speaking during Zero Hour on Wednesday, a commotion suddenly broke out in the House over a person jumping from the audience gallery onto the MP bench.
‘We heard gunshots inside the house’
According to The Indian Express report, MP Bhartrihari Mahtab said that what happened in 2001 was a terrorist attack. He said, “Pakistani terrorists armed with heavy weapons entered the gate of the Parliament complex and started firing. Security personnel and watch and ward staff were martyred while protecting the building. “Before the terrorists could enter inside and cause bloodshed, (security personnel) managed to kill them… We heard gunshots inside the House.”
“Today’s mistake was of a different nature,” the Odisha MP said. He said, “Both these infiltrators are Indians. Today the members themselves caught the intruder and handed him over to the employees. There was a stampede in the House in 2001. We all were taken to the central hall and the hall was secured first. The security personnel then started searching each floor of the Parliament to ensure that there were no terrorists. It took about five hours. “The first batch of MPs were taken out at around 5 in the evening.”
‘They easily jumped from the audience gallery’
However, the BJD MP said, even if no harm was caused by Wednesday’s incident, the lapse should be thoroughly investigated “as both the persons seemed to be trained.”
He said, “They easily jumped from the audience gallery. While the height of the gallery in this House is lower than that of the previous House, still someone who is just a worker or protestor cannot jump up and down so easily.
The way the intruder was jumping on the benches also showed that he was well trained. The yellow smoke from the firecracker hidden in the shoe also represents planning.
What if it was a poisonous gas or acid? “This was a planned breach by trained people and they were successful in breaching the security checks.”
BJP MP from Saran, Bihar, Rajiv Pratap Rudy was also present in the Parliament on 13 December 2001 like on Wednesday. He told, “That day, I was in (LK) Advaniji’s room in Parliament, where a meeting was going on.
At that time Advaniji was the Union Home Minister. It was here that we heard some sounds and saw on the TV inside the room that an attack had taken place.
The cameramen who had fled had left their cameras running and these cameras captured the scenes we saw in the room. We stayed there.” On Wednesday’s breach, he said, “That was a full-fledged terrorist attack by armed terrorists, who were killed by security forces and not allowed to enter either of the two Houses… It seems like a protest breach.”
‘Facilities like galleries should either be closed…’
Yavatmal-Washim MP Bhavana Gawli was also a Lok Sabha member in 2001 in the Shiv Sena faction led by CM Eknath Shinde.
He described both incidents as unfortunate and suggested that facilities such as the visitors’ gallery should either be closed or a protective layer such as a glass wall should be installed. Gawli had already left Parliament when terrorists attacked in December 2001.
“Anyone can be involved in small mistakes,” he said. The security personnel did their job. The MPs also tried to catch him. When there is any threat against the nation, everyone acts.” He also claimed that when security personnel caught two infiltrators on Wednesday, he advised them to go to villages and help the poor instead of indulging in such acts. I said, ‘Both of you have done wrong. Go to villages, help the poor, do something good because your actions will not change the situation.”
‘This is not written on anyone’s forehead…’
Gawli said, while the public should be encouraged to visit Parliament, such an incident could make matters worse and put lives in danger. On reports that BJP MP from Mysore, Karnataka, Pratap Simha has approved entry passes for the two infiltrators, Gawli said, ‘It is not written on anyone’s forehead that they will do anything like terrorism or any other wrongdoing. ‘
The incident occurred during zero hour in the House on Wednesday at around 1 pm. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla termed the incident as serious and said that a high-level investigation is being conducted and the security of Parliament will be comprehensively reviewed.
He also said that the smoke that was spread in the House was normal and there was nothing to worry about.
Birla praised the MPs, security personnel and staff for showing promptness and fearlessness in stopping and arresting the two men who jumped into the Lok Sabha. The two persons who jumped into the house have been identified as Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D.