Parliament security my responsibility: LS Speaker

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla Thursday said the government can never interfere in the functioning of the Lok Sabha Secretariat. The Lok Sabha Speaker asserted that as custodian of the Parliament complex, it was his responsibility to ensure security.

New Delhi:Amid demands from the opposition for a statement by Home Minister Amit Shah on the issue of Parliament security breach, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla Thursday asserted that as custodian of the Parliament complex, it was his responsibility to ensure security. The Lok Sabha witnessed repeated adjournments as opposition members continued with their slogans denouncing the government, banging the Speaker's podium, and even standing next to the secretary general.

"Home Minister Must Answer," read a placard waved by an opposition member. Others demanded action against BJP MP from Mysuru Prathap Simha who provided the visitor passes to the intruders. "The entire Parliament Secretariat comes under the jurisdiction of Parliament, particularly under the Lok Sabha... This is our jurisdiction. As Lok Sabha Speaker, it is my responsibility to ensure everybody's security. I will sit down and discuss with you," the speaker said as members stormed the Well raising slogans against the government.

As opposition members raised slogans against the government, Birla said "The government can never interfere in the functioning of the Lok Sabha Secretariat. We will also never allow it." Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is also the Deputy Leader of the Lok Sabha, said all should come together and condemn the incident and there is no point in protesting in the House.

"In future, all of us Parliamentarians, be it of the ruling party or the opposition, everyone has to exercise caution. We have to ensure that we do not give passes to such people who create disturbance inside Parliament House," Singh said amid opposition protests in the House. In the old building too, incidents of throwing paper and "jumping" have taken place, he said and added there was no need to create disturbance in the House.

In a major security breach on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack, two persons -- Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D -- jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released coloured smoke from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by the MPs. Around the same time, two other accused -- Amol Shinde and Neelam Devi -- also sprayed coloured smoke from canisters while shouting "tanashahi nahi chalegi" outside Parliament premises.

Sagar, Manoranjan, Amol and Neelam are now in police custody. Their accomplice Vishal, in whose house the accused stayed before reaching Parliament, has been detained from Gurugram while a hunt is on for their other accomplice Lalit.