Breach row: 14 MPs of Oppn suspended

NT Bureau, Agencies

New Delhi: As many as 14 opposition MPs were suspended from Parliament for the remainder of the session for disrupting proceedings as the Lok Sabha security breach incident snowballed into a major row on Thursday with the government asking the opposition not to "politicise" the "grave national issue" and the Congress, TMC and others demanding a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah.

While TMC's Derek O'Brien was suspended in Rajya Sabha, as many as 13 opposition MPs, including nine from the Congress and DMK's Kanimozhi, were suspended from Lok Sabha for disrupting the proceedings.

Amid opposition protests, demanding a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the security breach incident, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved two resolutions separately for the suspension of the MPs for disrupting the Lok Sabha proceedings.

The MPs had moved into the Well of the Lok Sabha raising slogans, questioning the security breach, and demanding a statement from the government.

Earlier in a statement, Joshi said "We all agree" that the unfortunate incident on Wednesday was a serious one concerning the safety and security of MPs.

Some of the suggestions given by MPs have already been implemented, he said, and noted that the Speaker himself has stated that further measures will be taken to strengthen the security of Parliament.

"In my opinion, this matter concerns all of us and we have to speak in one voice," Joshi said.

On such a "grave national issue", no politics is expected to be done by anyone, the minister asserted. Joshi called for rising above party politics.

Soon after the Rajya Sabha House met at noon after an adjournment, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar warned O'Brien against his unruly behaviour and for disrupting the proceedings.

He asked O'Brien to leave the House, but the opposition MP did not relent and protested instead. The chairman then allowed Leader of the House Piyush Goyal to move a motion to suspend O'Brien under Rule 256.

The motion to suspend O'Brien for the remainder of the session was adopted with a voice vote.

Police file terrorism charges against 4

Police have filed terrorism charges under the stringent UAPA against four people arrested after two of them jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber and set off smoke canisters in a major security breach inside Parliament that also led to the suspension of eight Delhi Police personnel.

The key conspirator Lalit Jha was arrested on Thursday. Those arrested earlier are-- Sagar Sharma (26), Manoranjan D (34), Amol Shinde (25) and Neelam Devi (37).