"Govt that can't keep Parliament secure can't keep country safe," RJD MP Manoj Jha on security breach
Dec 14, 2023
New Delhi [India], December 14 : RJD MP Manoj Jha on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the suspension of 13 MPs from the Parliament in the wake of a security breach in the Lok Sabha, and said that a government that can't keep its Parliament secure, can't keep the country safe.
The RJD MP demanded the Home Minister (Amit Shah) to come to the House and give a statement.
"When such an act takes place in the House, it is not just a Parliamentary matter - it is related to security. A government that can't keep its Parliament secure, can't keep the country safe. Mark my words...We would tell you - the country is not safe in your hands," he said.
"You are not coming before us even after 24 hours...We will continue to raise this issue in the House and force the Home Minister to come," Jha added.
Meanwhile, a total of 13 MPs were suspended from the Parliament on Thursday "for creating a ruckus" in the House over their demand for a statement on the breach.
Earlier, 14 MPs were suspended, but later Pralhad Joshi clarified that one member was mistakenly included in the list of MPs suspended.
Following his clarification, a formal request was made to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to exclude one member, who wasn't present at the Well of the Lower House during the disruption, from the list of suspended MPs.
The number of suspended lawmakers was, thus, revised to 13 from 14 as was erroneously mentioned earlier.
The motion for suspension of nine opposition MPs - Benny Behanan, VK Sreekandan, Mohammad Jawed, PR Natarajan, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, K Subrahmanyam, SR Parthiban, S Venkatesan and Manickam Tagore - was moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi.
The MPs were suspended soon after the House met at 3 pm following its adjournment earlier. The House was later adjourned for the day.
The opposition has been demanding a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah.
Meanwhile, the Patiala House Court granted 7-day custody to four accused persons arrested in connection with the security breach in Parliament to Delhi Police's Special Cell.
A case has been registered against the accused under multiple relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in the Parliament Security breach incident, police said on Thursday.
