Home minister mum in Parliament, but giving interview on TV: Kharge on security breach issue

PTI, Dec 15, 2023, 12:20 PM IST

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday asked Union Home Minister Amit Shah why he was not giving a statement in Parliament on the security breach issue but was giving interviews to TV channels.

He also asked if “illegally” suspending MPs who asked questions on the Parliament breach was justice.

“What kind of justice is it to illegally suspend opposition MPs over the huge lapse in security of Parliament and its MPs,” Kharge asked.

He said that leaders of various parties had met in the morning to discuss their joint strategy in both houses.

Several MPs suspended on Thursday for disrupting the House with their protest on the security breach issue staged a silent protest in Parliament complex against the suspension.

Kharge said the Home Minister of the country can give interviews on TV but is averse to giving a statement on the floor of Parliament.

“INDIA parties demand that Shri Amit Shah should give a statement in the Parliament and then it should be discussed in both the houses,” the Congress chief said.

“It is our duty to raise our voice on this serious issue of national security, it is our parliamentary duty,” Kharge also said in a post in Hindi on X.

AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh concurred with his colleague’s demand for a statement from Shah on the “shocking” security breach.

“MPs of the INDIA parties are demanding that the Home Minister make a statement in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on the shocking incidents of December 13, 2023 involving intruders into the Lok Sabha whose entry was facilitated by a BJP MP Pratap Simha.

“The Home Minister is simply refusing to make such a statement on what is a very serious security issue. His refusal has led both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to get adjourned till 2 pm today,” Ramesh said after both houses were adjourned amid opposition protests.