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‘Parliament security breach serious matter’: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

Several opposition leaders have questioned the steps taken by the BJP-led central government and demanded a word from Amit Shah over the incident.

Published on: Dec 17, 2023, 15:51:00 IST
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West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday condemned the Wednesday's Lok Sabha security breach saying that the security lapse is a serious matter and it should be investigated.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. (ANI)
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. (ANI)

"It's a security lapse. The Home Minister already admitted that. And this is a very serious matter. Let them investigate the matter...," she said.

While taking a dig over Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O'Brien's suspension from the Rajya Sabha for remainder of the Winter Session of the Parliament saying that he was suspended because he raised the security breach issue in the house.

"They (Opposition) have already raised the issue and that's why TMC leader Derek O'Brien has been suspended and other Congress and DMK MPs have also been suspended," she said.

Several opposition leaders have questioned the steps taken by the BJP-led central government and demanded a word from home minister Amit Shah over the security lapse incident.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attributed the security breach to 'unemployment' and 'inflation,' linking it to the policies of the BJP-led Centre.

The Wayanad MP said, "Why did this (security breach) happen? The main issue in the country is unemployment. Due to the policies of PM Modi, the youth of the country are not getting jobs. I believe that this incident was a direct fallout of unemployment and inflation."

Meanwhile, prime minister Narendra Modi has said that the seriousness of the security breach in Parliament cannot be underestimated and called for no squabbling over the issue amid Opposition's protests over it in Parliament.

In an interview with a national daily, PM Modi said that probe agencies were investigating the incident and taking stringent measures, noting that it is equally necessary to go to the root of people behind it and their motives.

"What happened is very serious," PM Modi said in his first comments on Wednesday's breach. "There is no need to debate this, there should be a detailed investigation into this.

On December 13, two men, Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D, jumped inside the Lok Sabha from the visitor's gallery above the chamber and threw smoke cannisters inside the Parliament, and shouted anti-establishment slogans before being overpowered by the MPs. While two protestors -- Neelam and Amol -- protested outside the Parliament with similar gas canisters. All four were sent to seven-day custody of Delhi Police Special Cell on Thursday.

The security breach happened on the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack.

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