Parliament security breach: In a major security breach on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack, two persons today (December 13) jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour and released yellow gas from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by MPs.
Around the same time, two persons, including a woman, also sprayed coloured gas from canisters while shouting slogans 'tanashahi nahi chalegi' outside the Parliament premises. All four have been detained by security forces.
Two persons, involved in the Lok Sabha incident, have been identified as Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan. Sharma had come to the visitor's gallery as a guest of Mysuru Lok Sabha member Prathap Simha.
The two jumped into the chamber from the public gallery at around 1:00 pm while one was spotted jumping over the benches, the other was left dangling from the gallery before jumping into the Chamber, according to several MPs present in the House.
BJP member Rajendra Agrawal, who was in the chair, adjourned the proceedings till 2:00 pm as one part of the Lok Sabha chamber was filled with yellow-coloured smoke.
Know more about BJP MP Pratap Simha:
Pratap Simha won two consecutive Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019 from the Mysore constituency in Karnataka.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha Election, Pratap Simha defeated Congress candidate and sitting MP Adagooru H Vishwanath with a margin of 31,608 votes in Mysore.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha Election, Pratap Simha defeated Congress candidate CH Vijayashankar with a margin of 1,38,647 votes in Mysore.
What is the connection between Pratap Simha and Manoranjan?
BJP MP Pratap Simha knows the father of Manoranjan but he is not associated with BJP or any other political party. The house of Manoranjan is closer to the party office of BJP MP Pratap Simha. He (Manoranjan) was requesting him to visit the new Parliament building from last three months. Today, he entered into the building with one of his friend Sagar Sharma as a visitor.
"Two intruders have been arrested from inside Parliament, two from outside. All their belongings have been seized. The entire matter is being investigated thoroughly," Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said when the House re-convened at 2 pm.
With some members raising the issue of the recent threat to attack Parliament, Birla said "What you are referring to, it is not that matter as per preliminary report."
While the affiliation of the protestors was not known immediately, US-based Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun had recently released a video threatening to attack Parliament on or before December 13.
Birla also called a meeting of MPs from all parties today to address their concerns over the matter.
Members who overpowered the two persons inside the Lok Sabha chamber said,"one of them was saying I am a patriot and came here to protest."
Many Lok Sabha members beat up the intruders before handing them over to security. JD(U) member Ramprit Mandal said the intruders had hidden the gas canisters in their shoes and sprayed yellow-coloured gas in the Lok Sabha chamber.
Mandal, who was near the intruder, said RLP member Hanuman Beniwal and other members overpowered the person.
"One of the two was raising slogans 'Tanashahi nahi chalegi'," Mandal said.
Congress stage protest outside Pratap Simha's office in Mysuru:
Congress workers staged a protest outside the office of BJP MP Pratap Simha, on whose authorisation passes were issued to two persons who jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery in a major security breach. Police force controlled the situation and ensured that it did not lead to any untoward incident.
Congress workers in large numbers gathered outside the Mysuru MP's office at Jaladarshini Guest House and raised slogans against him and accused him of being "responsible for what unfolded in the Lok Sabha" earlier in the day.
Manoranjan D, one of the accused who hailed from Mysuru, introduced co-accused Sagar Sharma as a friend to the MP's office and got passes issued to them on the pretext of watching the new Parliament, according to sources.
Three passes were issued at the behest of Simha for Wednesday. However, one person, a woman, had to return as she arrived with her child whose name was not mentioned in her pass, sources close to the MP said.
Opposition leaders on security lapse in Parliament:
"Two people jumped from the public gallery, there was smoke and everyone ran. They have been caught by some MPs and security personnel. One of them is Sagar. He was the guest of Mysuru member Pratap Simha," Lok Sabha member Danish Ali said.
"It is a big security lapse. It is the anniversary of the Parliament attack. This is a matter for probe," said Ali.
"Suddenly there was a commotion in the House. One person was seen jumping from one bench to another. It was a very tense moment, anything could have happened. I thought, what if he has a bomb or fire equipment in his pocket? It is a serious security lapse," Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Trinamool Lok Sabha leader, said.
Congress member Karti Chidambaram said the two persons pulled out canisters that were emitting yellow smoke.
"The smoke could have been poisonous. It is a serious security breach," he added.
"They started advancing and rushing towards the well of the house and they lighted up smoke sticks. Security was compromised," DMK member DNV Senthil Kumar said on X.
"Certainly, there is a loophole. At first, I thought a person might have fallen but when the second person started coming down, all of us became cautious," BJP member Rajendra Agrawal said.
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