Massive Security Breach in Parliament, Accused Held, Oppn Targets BJP: 10 Points

A massive security breach took place in the Parliament on Wednesday, 13 December, as intruders jumped into the Lok Sabha from the visitors' gallery and set off coloured smoke canisters while proceedings were underway for the Winter Session.

The intruders have been identified as Sagar Sharma and Manorajan who were inside the House, along with two protesters who were sloganeering outside the House, identified as Neelam (42) from Hisar and Amol Shinde (25) from Latur, have been arrested.

All four were allegedly carrying the smoke canisters in their shoes.

Three more accused linked to the operation have been identified as Lalit Jha, Vicky Sharma, and his wife - all residents of Gurugram.

Click here to read what we know about the accused so far.

Here's all you need to know.

• In the visuals on Sansad TV, a man wearing a blue jacket can be seen jumping over benches in the House. Rajendra Agrawal, who was in the chair, immediately adjourned the session.

• The two intruders were allegedly sloganeering "Tanashahi nahi chalegi (Dictatorship will not prevail)."

• Neelam told the media that "they are not associated with any organisation and took the step since the government is committing atrocities against citizens."

• Delhi Police identified that Neelam, one of the accused arrested from outside the Parliament, was studying for civil services entrance exams in Haryana's Hisar and living in a girls PG there, news agency PTI reported.

• Who all are investigating the breach in the Parliament? A forensics team, the Delhi police commissioner Sanjay Arora, CRPF DG Anish Dayal Singh, NDRF Commandant of the 8th battalion, Anti-terror Unit of the Delhi Police, Delhi Police Special Cell DCP Rajiv Ranjan, among others, are present at the ground and investigating into the matter.

• Ruckus ensued in the House after Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury alleged that the intruders had passes signed by a BJP MP.

• The attack came on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack.

• Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge raised the issue of the security breach in Lok Sabha, while speaking in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

• An all-party meet on the security breach was held at 4:00 pm.

• The Lok Sabha was adjourned till Thursday, 14 December.

How Are the MPs Reacting?

Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha told news agency PTI, "I will not simply call it a security breach, I will call an attack on India’s democracy, an attack on the temple of democracy, our Parliament."

Rajya Sabha LoP Kharge, on the other hand, said, "The issue is very serious. This is not a question of just Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, this is about how two people were able to come inside despite such elaborate security and cause a security breach."

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram also told ANI,

"Suddenly, two young men around 20 years old jumped into the House from the visitor's gallery and had canisters in their hand. 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 13th December, the day when Parliament was attacked in 2001."