Curated By: Sanstuti Nath
Last Updated: December 15, 2023, 14:03 IST
Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE: Proceedings of both Houses of Parliament witnessed disruptions on Friday with Opposition MPs demanding statements from the Prime Minister and Home Ministers on the matter of a major security breach in Lok Sabha. Parties associated with the INDIA bloc also raised the issue of suspension of 14 MPs–13 from Lok Sabha and 1 from Rajya Sabha. Meanwhile, police have filed terrorism charges under stringent UAPA against four people arrested after two of them jumped into the Lower House and set off smoke canisters. The key conspirator was arrested on Thursday.
Delhi: On Opposition protest over Parliament security breach incident, Union Minister Anurag Thakur says, " I only want to say that if the Lok Sabha speaker has invited suggestions from leaders from all political parties…then I think they should give suggestions for improvement…They will not achieve anything by creating obstacles…"
Nagpur: On the Parliament security breach incident, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray says, “…The first question is how did they come inside the Lok Sabha with canisters…The MPs who questioned this were suspended…Some MPs who were not present in the House were also suspended. The govt is filled with hatred…"
Lalit Jha, a key accused in the Parliament security breach incident, has been arrested, said Delhi Police sources.
Delhi: Security heightened in Parliament premises following the December 13 security breach incident.
“Security lapse in Parliament is a matter of concern. We are demanding that a statement by the concerned minister should be made in the House. The reality is that not enough arrangements have been made regarding the security of the Parliament," says Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday asked Union Home Minister Amit Shah why he was not giving a statement in Parliament on the security breach issue but was giving interviews to TV channels.
He also asked if “illegally" suspending MPs who asked questions on the Parliament breach was justice.
“What kind of justice is it to illegally suspend opposition MPs over the huge lapse in security of Parliament and its MPs," Kharge asked.
He said that leaders of various parties had met in the morning to discuss their joint strategy in both houses.
On security breach incident, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, “(Union) Home Minister gave the statement to the media, not to the House of which he’s a member. This is supposed to be a parliamentary system and parliament is in session. The first place to which any government, minister is accountable is parliament. He should have come here and spoken that could have diffused the entire crisis… He should come here and tell the people, if he had spoken to the MPs, given his point of view, I’m sure this whole crisis could have been diffused. This is escalating only because of the stubbornness of those involved. And I must say, it’s an unnecessary thing. We have important issues to discuss in parliament…"
“TRUTH stands strong! The unjust suspension of our MP Derek O’Brien, from Rajya Sabha for merely demanding a discussion on the #SecurityBreach is a heinous act. In a peaceful protest by Gandhi’s statue, a symbol of peace, Derek O’Brien takes a ‘मौन व्रत’." O’Brien posted on his X account.
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi joins the protest by 14 MPs who were suspended yesterday in the Parliament.
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha proceedings were on Friday adjourned till 2 pm, as opposition MPs raised slogans demanding Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement on the Parliament security breach.
As soon as the Houses met at 11 am, opposition MPs held up placards and raised slogans. The opposition MPs have been demanding a discussion on the security breach that took place two days back.
They are also seeking action against the BJP MP who authorised the passes for the two people who jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitors’ gallery on Wednesday.
Delhi: On her suspension from the Lok Sabha, DMK MP K Kanimozhi says, “BJP has been repeatedly saying that they are the only ones who can protect the country but they can’t even protect the Parliament. The Prime Minister could have been there inside the Parliament. They couldn’t protect their own Prime Minister and then they are saying that we are politicising the issue…The government is to be held accountable for whatever happens. Any breach of security in the country they would be held responsible…"
Delhi: On her suspension from the Lok Sabha, DMK MP K Kanimozhi says, “BJP has been repeatedly saying that they are the only ones who can protect the country but they can’t even protect the Parliament. The Prime Minister could have been there inside the Parliament. They couldn’t protect their own Prime Minister and then they are saying that we are politicising the issue…The government is to be held accountable for whatever happens. Any breach of security in the country they would be held responsible…"
A meeting of Floor leaders of the INDIA alliance parties is underway at LoP in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge’s office in Parliament House to chalk out the strategy for the Floor of the House.
A meeting of Floor leaders of the INDIA alliance parties is underway at LoP in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge’s office in Parliament House to chalk out the strategy for the Floor of the House.
Suspended MPs stage a protest in front of the Gandhi statue on Parliament premises, in Delhi. A total of 14 MPs – 13 from Lok Sabha and 1 from Rajya Sabha – were suspended yesterday for the remainder of the winter session.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader in Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien staged a silent protest in the Parliament complex on Thursday after he was suspended from the Upper House for the remaining Winter Session for disrupting the proceedings.
The MP walked out of the Parliament building with a placard hanging around his neck and another tied to his back which read “Silent Protest" in three languages— English, Hindi and Bengali. He also refused to speak on the issue with reporters.
Lalit Mohan Jha, the sixth accused in the Parliament security breach incident, has been arrested by Delhi Police. Jha, accompanied by a man, reached the Kartavya Path Police station on Thursday evening, in the national capital where he was handed over to the Special Cell. The Special Cell of Delhi Police has detained two more people in the case, both of them are suspected to be linked to the accused. They have been identified as Mahesh and Kailash.
A Kolkata resident, Jha is allegedly the mastermind of the major security breach in Lok Sabha, on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack on Wednesday when two men — Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D — jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released yellow smoke from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by MPs.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi gives her notice under rule 267 to discuss the breach of security in the Parliament.
Winter Session 2023 | Rajya Sabha MP Jebi Mather gives Suspension of Business notice under rule 267 demanding a statement from the Union Home Minister over Parliament security breach incident.
Winter Session 2023 | Congress Rajya Sabha MP Dr Syed Naseer Hussain gives Suspension of Business notice under rule 267 demanding a statement from the Union Home Minister over Parliament security breach incident.
Parliament security breach case: The Special Cell of Delhi Police has detained 2 people in the case, both of them are suspected to be linked to the accused. They have been identified as Mahesh and Kailash. They are being interrogated by the Special Cell: Delhi Police
The Supreme Court will on Friday hear Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra’s plea against her expulsion from Parliament. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SV Bhatti will hear Moitra’s request to restore her Lok Sabha membership.
The TMC leader had moved the apex court on Monday against her expulsion after the Lok Sabha adopted a report by its ethics committee that held her guilty of accepting gifts and illegal gratification from a businessman to further his interests.
Reacting sharply to her expulsion, Moitra had equated the action with hanging by a “kangaroo court" and alleged that a parliamentary panel was being weaponised by the government to force the opposition into submission.
Winter Session of Parliament | Union Minister Danve Raosaheb Dadarao to make the statement regarding the status of implementation of recommendations and observations contained in the 16th Report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways on the “Performance of Rail Land Development Authority."
Parliament security breach accused, Lalit Mohan Jha had fled from the spot after making a video of the incident. He reached Nagaur in Rajasthan by bus. There he met his two friends and spent the night in a hotel. When he realized that the police were searching for him, he came to Delhi by bus After which he was arrested: Delhi Police
Winter Session of Parliament | Union Minister of State for External Affairs & Parliamentary Affairs, Vellamvelly Muraleedharan, to make a statement regarding government business for the remaining part of the 262nd Session.
Winter Session of Parliament | Congress MP Manish Tewari gives Adjournment Motion notice in Lok Sabha to discuss the unfortunate security breach that occurred in the Parliament on December 13, 2023.
An unused can from the Parliament security breach could hold the key for investigators, with sources confirming to CNN-News18 that the canister recovered from Lok Sabha has been sent for forensic analysis.
Investigators suspect that phosphorus or phosphate-based chemical was used to spread yellow gas in Parliament. “If used in large quantities, phosphorus can cause burns or blisters on the skin. The act of intrusion doesn’t appear to be an innocuous protest," an official told CNN-News18.
Investigators said seven cans were used by the intruders. While Manoranjan D and Sagar Sharma carried two cans to the Lok Sabha’s visitors’ gallery, from where they jumped into the chamber, five were kept outside with Neelam and Amol Shinde who were protesting outside the premises.
Following the suspension of opposition MPs from the Parliament on Thursday, the suspension of DMK MP S R Parthiban from the Lok Sabha has been withdrawn as he was not present in the House today.
The government clarified that the DMK MP’s name was declared as suspended, by mistake. With this, the total number of MPs suspended for the remaining winter session of Parliament is 14 — 13 from the Lok Sabha and one from the Rajya Sabha. SR Parthiban represents Tamil Nadu’s Salem constituency in the Lok Sabha.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that Parthiban’s name has been withdrawn from the list of the Lok Sabha members suspended. He further clarified that there was a mistake on the part of the staff in identifying the member.
Location: New Delhi, India