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‘Hang him if he’s wrong’: Father of Parliament security breach accused
Manoranjan and Sagar Sharma on Wednesday jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitors’ gallery, shouted slogans and released yellow smoke from canisters
Manoranjan Devarajegowda, apprehended by the police for breaching Lok Sabha security and using a smoke canister, has been identified as a Mysuru resident and an engineering graduate assisting his father in farming.
In a major security breach on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack, two people -- Manoranjan (34) and Sagar Sharma (26) from Uttar Pradesh -- on Wednesday jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitors’ gallery, shouted slogans and released yellow smoke from canisters that triggered panic and chaos in the House.
Manoranjan, the only son of Devarajegowda, informed his parents that he was heading to Bengaluru before leaving for Delhi, catching them off guard upon learning about his visit to the national capital.
Reacting to his son’s actions, Devarajegowda said, “He is a good man and had no ill intentions. I have been living in Mysuru for over 15 years. Manoranjan studied till his second PU in Mysuru and completed his engineering from a Bengaluru college. He used to read a lot and wanted to do something good for society with no ill intentions.”
It is okay if my son does good but if he has done something wrong then hang him
Devarajegowda, expressing disapproval of Manoranjan’s actions, said, “Whatever he has done is condemnable. If he has done something wrong, then hang him. He must be held accountable.”
He clarified that Manoranjan had not aligned himself with any political party.
Vijayanagar police in Mysuru visited Manoranjan’s house within an hour of the incident, collecting information. Initial investigations revealed that Manoranjan obtained the visitor’s pass from the office of Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha.
Read Here: Lucknow youth who breached Lok Sabha security, drove e-rickshaw and actively attended protests
When asked about how the pass was acquired, Devarajegowda responded, “I don’t know how he got the Lok Sabha pass. He used to frequently visit Bengaluru and Delhi. We are voters of the BJP MP from Mysuru, and I have a good rapport with Simha.”
Devarajegowda, a farmer owning farmland in Mallapura village in Hassan district’s Arkalgud taluk, mentioned that Manoranjan had been supporting him in agricultural activities after completing his Bachelor in Engineering course. He said Manoranjan was a frequent visitor to Bengaluru and Delhi, although these visits were not discussed within the family.
A senior state intelligence officer, choosing to remain anonymous, disclosed ongoing investigations into Manoranjan’s frequent trips to New Delhi and his alleged involvement in the farmer protest in 2020-21. “He is a well-read person, with a political and comprehensive book collection. We have information regarding his travels to New Delhi during the farmer protests, and we are looking into it.”
Read Here: MHA orders probe into Lok Sabha security breach
Describing the sequence of events, Mohan Danappa, another Karnataka resident present at the visitors’ gallery during the incident, recounted, “Suddenly, he jumped from the gallery and started leaping from table to table. He then removed the canister from one of his shoes and sprayed it. The other MPs surrounded him, and security officials arrested him.”
In response to the incident, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called for a comprehensive inquiry, stating, “Reports are emerging that the youths who attacked the Parliament building today were given passes by Pratap Simha, an MP from Mysuru. If these reports are true, it implies that these youths might have been known to the MP. If they were not acquaintances, then how were passes issued to strangers? It should be noted that even inadvertent acts of negligence are also punishable under the law.”
Following reports that the trespassers into the Lok Sabha chamber allegedly procured passes from Pratap Simha, Congress workers held a protest in front of the MP’s office in Mysuru on Wednesday. The Mysuru MP is yet to respond to the controversy.
