Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha and national president of the Congress, wrote to Jagdeep Dhankhar, the chairman of the Upper House, on Thursday regarding the significant security breach that occurred in the new Parliament complex on Wednesday. The LoP in the Upper House demanded that Union Home Minister Amit Shah make a statement on the matter, after which a discussion should take place in accordance with Rule 267. In his letter to Vice President Dhankhar, the LoP classified the breach in Parliament security as a serious matter.
“The breach of Parliament security which occurred on 13th December 2023 in the Lok Sabha Chamber and the Parliament precincts is a very grave matter unparalleled in the recent past. In view of the gravity of the matter, myself in consultation with floor leaders of INDIA Parties in Parliament have come to a considered view that the matter is of such a critical importance that it needs to be raised under Rule 267 of the Rules and Procedure of Council of States (Rajya Sabha),” Kharge wrote in his letter.
“Further, till the Minister of Home Affairs makes a statement on this matter followed by a discussion under Rule 267, there is no occasion for taking up any other business in the House or even for any meeting to “sort out this matter” in any other manner,” he stated.
Earlier in the day, Opposition leaders met in the chamber of the LoP, Rajya Sabha to discuss the Parliament security breach.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a Congress MP, told reporters on Thursday that members of the opposition chose to bring up the security breach in both Houses. Before relocating the members to the new parliament building, appropriate security measures ought to have been put in place. Not a word from the PM or the Home Minister in spite of this massive security breach. There ought to be a conversation about this.