'Parliament Won't Run Until...': Congress Slams Amit Shah For Not Issuing Statement On Security Breach

The Opposition has been demanding a statement from Amit Shah and also been protesting over the ouster of 14 MPs, who were suspended for creating a ruckus.

New Delhi: Both the Houses of the Parliament were adjourned on Friday amid Opposition protests demanding Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement on the security lapse issue. While Lok Sabha was adjourned right after it met for the day and again till 2pm, and then within a minute after that, Rajya Sabha was first adjourned within minutes of the laying of papers and Standing Committee reports and then within a minute after it met at 2pm. This is the third day in a row that the House proceedings were disrupted.

The Opposition has been demanding a statement from Amit Shah and also been protesting over the ouster of 14 MPs, who were suspended for creating a ruckus on Thursday. It has also been demanding action against BJP MP Pratap Simha under whose name the visitors’ passes were issued to the Parliament intruders.

The laying of papers and the Standing Committee reports could not be tabled in the Lok Sabha on Thursday and Friday. The three Bills, which seek to replace the criminal laws, could not be taken up for discussion on Thursday. The revised draft legislations were to be taken up for discussion on Thursday and voting was scheduled on Friday.

Leader of Opposition and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge took a swipe at Amit Shah saying the latter could give interviews to news channels but could not make a statement on the floor of the House.

Taking to X, Kharge wrote, “What kind of justice is it to illegally suspend Opposition MPs over the huge lapse in security of Parliament and MPs? The Home Minister of the country can give interviews on TV but cannot give statements on the floor of Parliament. I.N.D.I.A 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.”

Notably, Kharge had written to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar to not take up any other business in the House and keep the proceedings limited to the discussion on the security breach. 

Addressing a press conference, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said there is very little possibility that the House proceedings can run till Amit Shah makes a statement.

“There are still four days left (of the Winter Session). Congress President and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge has informed the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha about this demand. The Home Minister should come and speak in the House. There will be questions that he would have to answer. After that, the proceedings of the House can run,” Jairam Ramesh said.

He further said that the Opposition members have just one demand and that is a statement on the security breach from Amit Shah. The MPs made the demand in writing to the Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha Chairman. However, the government has not accepted it and this is the only reason why the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned.

Meanwhile, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said the Parliament security is the responsibility of the Lok Sabha Secretariat and not the government and there is no reason why Home Minister Amit Shah should be answerable.

Speaking to ANI, Dubey said, “The security of Lok Sabha is the responsibility of Lok Sabha Secretariat, not the government. Why will Home Minister give an answer on this? Three important Bills were supposed to be tabled in Lok Sabha today but Congress not letting the House function.”

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said that it is very unfortunate that some MPs are “indirectly supporting” the lapse.

“It is very unfortunate that some members are supporting the security breach in the Parliament. They might have forgotten that the incident happened on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack and they are trying to make it look like an ordinary security lapse. It is a win on the part of the security forces that the accused could not carry guns and bombs inside and could only manage to take harmless objects,” Tiwari told PTI.

Hitting out at the government, RJD MP Manoj Jha said if they cannot say anything on the security laspe issue, one cannot expect the government say anything on the Galwan Valley issue either.

"If they cannot say anything about the security breach in the Parliament, how can we expect them to say anything on the Galwan Valley issue… Our democracy has had a history of political declarations being made in the House when a session is in progress. Issues of a party or region can be addressed anywhere, but in cases of national security such as this, it is ideal to address the Parliament," Jha told ANI.