Security breach in Parliament: 2 men with canisters jump inside Lok Sabha

The two men were overpowered by MPs and detained. Today, December 13, also marks the 22nd anniversary of the attack on the Parliament House in New Delhi

The Parliament witnessed a major security breach on Wednesday when two unidentified men jumped from the visitor's gallery of the Lok Sabha with what looked like gas canisters. The House was adjourned following this breach. The incident happened when Khagen Murmu, a BJP member of Parliament from Maldaha (West Bengal), was speaking in the Lok Sabha.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, said that the men hurled something like a gas canister which emitted a gas inside the House.

Chowdhury said, "Two young men jumped from the gallery and something was hurled by them from which gas was emitting. They were caught by MPs, they were brought out by security personnel. The House was adjourned till 2 pm. This is certainly a security breach because today we observed the death anniversary of people who sacrificed their lives in the 2001 (Parliament attack)."

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said, "Suddenly, two young men, around 20 years old, jumped into the House from the visitor's gallery and had canisters in their hands. These canisters were emitting yellow smoke. One of them was attempting to run towards the Speaker's chair. They were shouting some slogans. The smoke could have been poisonous. This is a serious breach of security especially on December 13, the day when the Parliament was attacked in 2001."

S Senthilkumar, DMK leader and a member of the Parliament for Dharmapuri parliamentary constituency, said that the two men started advancing and rushing towards the well of the House and lighted up smoke sticks.

Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Dimple Yadav said, "All those who come here, be it visitors or reporters, don't carry tags. So, I think the government should pay attention to this. I think this is a complete security lapse. Anything could have happened inside the Lok Sabha..."

Condemning the attack, AAP leader Raghav Chadha said that today’s attack has reopened wounds of the 2001 Parliament attack.

“India still remembers the attack on our Parliament in 2001. Today’s security breach is an agonizing echo of that dark day, reopening wounds on its anniversary,” added Chadha.

 

Earlier, Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun had issued another threat to attack the Indian Parliament on or before December 13, reminding everyone of the terror witnessed by the country two decades earlier.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that the security lapse in the House is being thoroughly probed. He has also called a meeting of MPs from all parties later in the day to address their concerns over the matter.

Opposition MPs, on the other hand, demanded the government's statement on the matter.