'Modi Running Away From Debate Because...': Congress's Swipe At PM Over Lok Sabha Intrusion

The Parliament proceedings were disrupted for three days in a row last week as the Opposition members staged protests demanding a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

New Delhi: Coming down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress on Sunday said he is “running away” from a debate on the Parliament security breach issue because he wants to avoid any question on the BJP leader under whose name the visitors’ passes were issued to the intruders. The Opposition attack came after PM Modi said all the parties should look for a solution and avoid squabbling over the issue.

Taking to X, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote, “The Prime Minister has finally broken his silence on the extraordinary events in the Lok Sabha on December 13th. He says probe is needed and not debate and that such a probe is on. All that INDIA parties are asking for and will continue to press for is a statement by the Home Minister on what happened on December 13th and how exactly it happened. The PM is running away from a debate for a very simple reason. Questions will be raised on the role of the Mysuru BJP MP Pratap Simha in facilitating the entry of the intruders into the Lok Sabha on December 13^th.”

In an interview with a Hindi newspaper, PM Modi instead of a debate a thorough investigation is required in the matter and probe agencies are on it, news agency PTI reported. Describing the incident as “painful” and a “matter of concern”, PM Modi also urged the Opposition to avoid squabbling over the issue.

Notably, the Winter Session of Parliament was disrupted for three days in a row last week as the Opposition members staged protests demanding a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. They also protested over the suspension of 14 MPs.

A major security breach was reported in the Parliament earlier this week when two persons jumbed down the visitors’ gallery with smoke cannisters in the Lok Sabha while around the same time, two others protested with smoke cannisters and shouted slogans outside the Parliament.

Parliament Security Breach Serious Matter: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

Expressing concern over the issue, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said the security breach is a “serious matter” and should be probed.

Speaking to PTI before leaving for Delhi, CM Banerjee said, “The Parliament security breach is a serious matter. There was a great lapse... The Union Home Minister has already admitted that. Let them investigate it.”

Meanwhile, CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said the government is not ready to accept the lapse on their part and added that the issues raised by the intruders, issues of price rise and unemployment, are correct.

“It is a very big security breach. It is a serious issue. There are a lot of questions. Who is the MP who gave the permission? How many people are involved? We are demanding answers to this. They are suspending those who are demanding answers. The government is not ready to accept the lapse on their part. The people who entered were raising the issues of price rise, unemployment and other everyday problems of the common people. So the dissatisfaction is being expressed. The issues which they raised are correct,” news agency ANI quoted Yechury as saying.