Karnataka Assembly sounds alert, cautions legislators after LS security breach

PTI, Dec 13, 2023, 7:42 PM IST

Representative image (source: PTI / File)

Belagavi: Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Wednesday sounded an alert, asking legislators to observe utmost caution and do proper verification before issuing visitor’s passes to people, following two persons jumping into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery.

The government and the Assembly Speaker stressed the need to ensure proper security and strict monitoring to avoid any such untoward incidents during the ongoing legislature session here and in future in Bengaluru.

Terming the incident in Parliament as both condemnable and a warning bell, Speaker U T Khader said, a thorough investigation has to be conducted and strict punishment given to those behind it.

Stating that legislators and public representatives issue passes to people with good intention, despite not knowing them, Khader cautioned MLAs to be responsible and said, “strictly scrutinise before issuing passes, without knowing the identity and verifying Aadhaar card, don’t issue passes.”

The Speaker also asked MLAs not to entertain people unnecessarily in Vidhana Soudha premises to ensure security, and said he has spoken to Home Minister, intelligence officers, Police, Deputy Commissioner, Marshals and other officials to ensure proper security.

Condemning the incident in Parliament, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, security and protection of places like Parliament and Vidhana Soudha are important and that he will ask the Home Minister to ensure proper bandobast.

Such an incident should not have happened and should never happen in future anywhere, he said, and also requested the Speaker to instruct the security staff to ensure that there are no security lapses and to remain cautious while issuing such passes.

“The incident in Parliament is condemnable, everyone has to condemn it. It is a warning to us too. Reports suggested that the pass was issued by one of our Lok Sabha members, I’m not sure, but while issuing passes it is good if it is issued to a known person,” Siddaramaiah said.

The incident prima facie appears to be a security lapse, he said, adding, “it looks like probably they were not thoroughly checked; if checked properly such a thing wouldn’t have happened, because everyone including Ministers and Leader of Opposition are checked at Parliament. I’m not making an allegation.”

Asserting the need to be cautious at Vidhana Soudha too, Siddaramaiah said, it surprises him sometimes as to how so many people enter. “People may be good or bad, we won’t know.”

However, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, citing reports that Member of Lok Sabha from Mysuru Pratap Simha had issued passes to the persons who were behind the incident, said, ” Pratap Simha is intelligent, I don’t want to take names, but don’t know why (he issued passes).”

As Simha is from Karnataka, Shivakumar claimed he was receiving calls from people asking as to why he issued the passes.

The DCM even said, “the Leader of Opposition (in assembly) (R Ashoka) should take the responsibility, he should give his advice”.

Following this statement of Shivakumar, Congress MLA Nayana Motamma sought to know: “what would have happened if it was not a BJP MP and someone else issued the pass.”

This drew strong objection from BJP legislators, leading to war of wards between treasury and opposition benches.

Ashoka said, Shivakumar and Congress were trying to politicise the issue. “His brother (D K Suresh) is also an MP, he too would have issued passes….this attempt to politicise is not right.”

Shivakumar said, “as it is the matter of Parliament’s security, I wanted to know your stand…your MP issued the pass. You have to condemn.”

Jumping to Shivakumar’s defence, Minister Priyank Kharge too said, “what would have happened if the pass was issued by Congress MP? They would have called us ‘Desha Drohi’. We are asking how your MP issued…..”

Countering it, Ashoka asked, “Did we hold Shivakumar responsible for the Mangaluru cooker bomb incident, following his statement regarding the bomber.”

This led to heated arguments between Congress and BJP MLAs forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House for some time.

Earlier raising the issue in the Assembly, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said, such a breach of security at a place like Parliament is worrying and has highlighted the need for us to be cautious.

Condemning the incident, Ashoka said, whether it is a security breach will be known after the investigation, and action will be taken.