They have opposed it in the past and not many are for it even now. The suggestion that MPs be frisked before they enter the House seems to have touched a raw nerve of lawmakers. It is not just manual frisking that is worrying the MPs. They are also thwarting the idea of body scanners, citing concerns ranging from health to privacy. With just four days remaining for UPA-II’s last Parliament session, the Committee on Security in Parliament Complex appeared to agree that the matter is best left for the next government to decide. With increasing security threat perception, security agencies are renewing efforts to build a case for manual frisking. “MPs should be able to say what they want to within the maryada of the House. They have a right to put forth views but need to do it in a way that it doesn’t violate spirit of the parliament,” Deputy Speaker Kar-iya Munda, who heads the Committee on Security in Parliament Complex, told The Indian Express. Munda agreed manual frisking was a “controversial issue” and may not solve the problem as “small things” can still be carried inside. Two broad points of view emerged. One, MPs should be either frisked or pass through body scanners. Second, there should be no frisking but the House should hand out “exemplary punishment” in case an MP attempts anything similar to what Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal did. And while there was no unanimity, the MPs who attended the meeting indicated it was the second option that appeared more viable to most. “Subjecting MPs to frisking is unacceptable. Even if allowed, there will be chances of discrimination” an MP said. “Installing devices like body scanners was discussed. But members pointed out health hazards. Many others flagged privacy issues saying these scanners expose body contours,” the MP added. “There were different vie-ws. Public representatives being frisked before entering parliament would attract ridicule. If you don’t frisk them, what if an MP takes a bomb or a pistol inside and shoots a minister?” an MP said. The oft-suggested measure of suspending any MP who goes to the well of the House also came up for discussion. The panel’s report will now be submitted to Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.
