Parliament security breach: TMC cites Mahua Moitra expulsion, asks if BJP MP Pratap Simha will also be expelled

West Bengal minister Sashi Panja says Simha has put Parliament and over 500 lawmakers at risk by issuing passes to miscreants who later breached security.

3 min readKolkataUpdated: Dec 13, 2023 06:17 PM IST

Mahua Moitra expulsion; Parliament security breach

Expelled MP Mahua Moitra (left) and BJP MP Pratap Simha (right)

Days after its leader Mahua Moitra was expelled from the Lok Sabha for sharing her Parliament login details, the Trinamool Congress on Wednesday asked if BJP MP Pratap Simha would be similarly expelled after two miscreants who were issued passes by him breached the House security.

“Our MP Mahua Moitra was expelled from Parliament citing that she had shared her login details, which has put national security at risk. She was expelled from the Parliament through a voice vote. Will the BJP not expel their MP Pratap Simha, who issued the passes to those miscreants who put Parliament at risk? It was Trinamool Congress and that is why the MP was expelled, but today BJP MP Pratap Simha has put the entire Parliament at risk when more than 500 lawmakers were there. What does the BJP have to say about this?” said Sashi Panja, minister for women and child welfare. “There is a new Parliament building and security has been beefed up. Yet there has been a serious security breach.”

“They (BJP) have fought a war to expel Mahua Moitra and that too, without any evidence. A voting should be made on whether the BJP MP in question should be expelled or not. The BJP needs to answer: whether they will expel the MP or not. Their answer will show if they care about national security. We are looking at what the Lok Sabha does now,” Panja said.

“BJP should immediately expel the MP who issued passes to the miscreants who entered Parliament when MPs were there, canisters in hand and later using a smoky fluid. There could have been a major incident. This is a breach of national security,” she added.

“It is very unfortunate that security of the Lok Sabha was breached. Total intelligence failure and breach of the security of elected members. This particular BJP MP connived to bring these miscreants inside. There should be strict punishment for the MP who brought them in,” said Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, TMC Lok Sabha MP through a video message.

On December 8, adopting a report submitted by the Ethics Committee which found Moitra “guilty of unethical conduct” in the cash-for-query allegations against her, the Lok Sabha expelled her amid strong objection from the Opposition. Following a heated debate where Moitra was not allowed to speak, the Opposition walked out even before the motion for expulsion was taken up for voting. The motion was passed by a voice vote.

Ravik Bhattacharya

Ravik Bhattacharya is a highly experienced and award-winning journalist currently serving as the Chief of Bureau of The Indian Express, Kolkata. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, Ravik possesses deep expertise across a wide range of critical subjects and geographical areas. Experience & Authority Current Role: Chief of Bureau, The Indian Express, Kolkata. Expertise: Extensive reporting across West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and the Andaman Nicobar Islands. Ravik specializes in politics, crime, major incidents and issues, and investigative stories, demonstrating a robust command of complex and sensitive subjects. Experience: His long and distinguished career includes key reporting roles at several prestigious publications, including The Asian Age, The Statesman, The Telegraph, and The Hindustan Times. Ravik's current role marks his second stint with The Indian Express, having previously served as a Principal Correspondent in the Kolkata bureau from 2005 to 2010. Major Award: Ravik's authority and quality of work are substantiated by his winning of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 2007 for Political Reporting. Education: His strong academic foundation includes a Bachelor's degree with English Honours from Scottish Church College under Calcutta University, and a PG Diploma in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Ravik Bhattacharya's extensive tenure, specialized beat coverage, and notable award confirm his status as a trusted and authoritative voice in Indian journalism, particularly for stories emanating from Eastern India. ... Read More

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