Security breach rocks Parliament; Opposition questions Shah for no statement in Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: Parliament witnessed no business for the second consecutive day on Friday following noisy protests over Opposition's demand for a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah on the security breach in Lok Sabha by two “intruders” whose entry was “facilitated” by BJP MP Pratap Simha.

Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were first adjourned till 2 PM soon after the Houses assembled in the morning and later for the day with the Opposition MPs shouting slogans and demanding an immediate discussion on Wednesday's security breach when two youths jumped into the Lower House's Chamber with smoke canisters in their hands.

Opposition sources said they will continue to raise their demand vociferously on Monday also. Opposition floor leaders also did not go for a meeting called by Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar to find a way out.

The proceedings started as 14 MPs – 13 from Lok Sabha and one from Rajya Sabha – who were suspended on Thursday while demanding Shah’s statement held a silent protest at Gandhi Statue in Parliament House complex.

The government appeared not in a mood to accede to the Opposition demand and as protest escalated Rajendra Agarwal who was chairing Lok Sabha and Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar first adjourned the Houses till 2 PM. Similar scenes repeated when the Houses reassembled and were adjourned for the day within a minute.

Lok Sabha saw MPs holding placards and trooping into the Well of the House seeking his presence in the House. They were also seeking action against Simha.

In Rajya Sabha at 11 AM, Dhankhar said he had received 23 notices regarding the "serious situation" arising from Wednesday's Parliament security breach and that investigations are underway and will be taken to a logical conclusion.

As he refused to admit the notices to suspend the business to discuss the issue, the Opposition MPs raised slogans while Leader of House Piyush Goyal said they should first talk about the law and order situation in Karnataka in apparent reference to the assault on a woman in Belagavi.

Opposition leaders' voiced anger at Shah for making a statement to the media on the security breach but refusing to give one in Parliament. Earlier in the day, I.N.D.I.A leaders met in Parliament and decided to insist on a discussion on the security breach.

At the meeting, sources said, MPs like RSP's NK Premachandran cautioned the leaders to be wary about the BJP, which has the wherewithal to change the narrative on their demand into a national security issue where the Opposition was not cooperating.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge posted on 'X', "the Home Minister can give interviews on TV but cannot give statements on the floor of Parliament. INDIA parties demand that Shri Amit Shah should give a statement in the Parliament and then it should be discussed in both the houses. It is our duty to raise our voice on this serious issue of national security, it is our parliamentary duty."

Congress Rajya Sabha Chief Whip and General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said, "it is characteristic of his sheer arrogance that the Home Minister found time yesterday evening to talk to a TV channel on the serious security breach in Parliament on Dec 13th, but is refusing to make a statement in Parliament itself while it is in session."

"Our demand is that the Union Home minister makes a statement in the House regarding the security lapse in Lok Sabha and must tell about the action taken against the BJP MP who gave passes to the culprits," Premachandran said.

However, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the government is following whatever directions the Speaker has given in letter and spirit. "The matter is also in the court, and a high-level investigation is going on. The opposition should behave responsibly," he said.

Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also echoed Kharge and said Shah should have come to Parliament and spoken that could have diffused the entire crisis. "This is escalating only because of the stubbornness of those involved. And I must say, it's an unnecessary thing. He is speaking to media channels outside, he is giving statements to the mass media. In a Parliamentary system, his principle accountability, when Parliament is in session, is to the very House of Parliament of which he is a member."

Suspended DMK MP Kanimozhi said the BJP has been repeatedly saying that they are the only ones who can protect the country but they cannot even protect the Parliament. Congress MP Manickam Tagore said they were undemocratically suspended.

Senior Congress MP Manish Tewari said, "someone (Mahua Moitra) who allegedly gave a password to someone to ask questions was expelled from Lok Sabha without following due process. Someone (Simha) who allegedly gave passes to someone to smoke bomb the Lok Sabha is not accountable to any process. Double standards never cease to amaze."

AAP MP Raghav Chadha said Opposition were not demanding anything which was illegitimate and it is not a matter of partisan politics. "If the Parliament is not safe, is the country safe?" he asked.