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New Delhi: The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed a resolution suspending five Congress MPs for the remainder of the ongoing winter session after being named by the Speaker for disrupting House proceedings. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved a resolution amid the din to suspend the five. The announcement was made by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, citing “unruly conduct” in the lower house of parliament.
The suspended MPs include Dean Kuriakose, Hibi Eden, Jothimani, Ramya Haridas, and TN Prathapan. All five have been suspended for the remainder of the Winter Session.
The suspension of five Congress MPs adds to the list of disciplinary action taken against opposition members, which comes after the suspension of Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien from the Rajya Sabha for the remainder of the session earlier in the day. .
On the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack, a significant security breach in the Indian Parliament has sparked a national debate on enhanced security measures. Two persons, in a daring act, bypassed the existing three layers of security, came onto the floor of the Lok Sabha and released yellow smoke. The shocking incident led to an immediate all-party meeting chaired by Speaker Om Birla and the entry of visitors was suspended indefinitely.
Despite tight security arrangements, the intruders managed to sneak into the MPs area of the new parliament, lit smoke cans and raised slogans. The intruders who entered the House during Question Hour have raised serious questions on the existing security procedures. The breach is seen as a collective failure of the intelligence and security agencies, leading to calls for a complete overhaul of the security architecture.
Opposition MPs have demanded a thorough investigation and decisive action against BJP MP Pratap Simha who allegedly helped the infiltrators enter. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury voiced opposition to a complete ban on visitors, highlighting security lapses, and stressed the potential impact on constituents visiting the capital.
Concerns were raised about potential separatist symbolism in the choice of yellow smoke, leading to the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) being tasked with analyzing the composition of the smoke. The incident has triggered a rigorous re-evaluation of security protocols at the new Parliament House.
In response to the breach, the Indian Parliament is considering a number of stringent security measures. These measures include installing glass walls in visitor galleries, implementing full-body scanners, and maintaining an indefinite suspension on entry of visitors. Some MPs have suggested improvements in crowd control measures, while others have called for a detailed review of security by the Home Ministry.
