Adhir writes to Birla to re-look into suspension of 13 MPs

NEW DELHI: Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Sunday wrote to Speaker Om Birla asking him that the matter of suspension of 13 MPs from the remainder of the Winter Session be re-looked into holistically and appropriate action taken for revoking the suspension and restoring order in the House.

In his letter to Birla, Chowdhury said that as the Speaker of Lok Sabha, under whose authority and control, the security "of the precincts of Parliament House" rests you have rightly and justly constituted a high level inquiry Committee to cause an in-depth investigation of the brazen, and in a way, bizarre act of breach of security in Parliament House that happened on December 13.

He said the incident that occurred on December 13, when two youths jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitors gallery with colour canisters, which they sprew all over the Chamber, and who had accomplices outside the precincts of the Parliament House Estate has caused much consternation in all circles.

He said that the incident of December 13 is a world apart from the attack on Parliament House of December 13, 2001, which was an act carried out by hard core, well trained and heavily armed terrorists from across the Border with the attack resulting in the death of Armed personnel of the CRPF, Delhi Police as also of the CPWD and the Parliament Security Service.

He pointed out that the recent incident of December 13 has also brought to the fore issues relating to the security of the institutions which are the core of our democratic practices and ethos.

"Since the seriousness of the matter lies in this fact, which relates to our own security, Members of the Opposition are duty bound to demand an explanation from the government and expect corrective measures to be taken urgently. The sensitivity of the matter and issues involved may have led to heated situations, and as the custodian of the dignity and decorum of the House you are bound to take remedial action when matters perceivably go out of the way in enabling the House to function to smoothly," he said.

He said that the members, who have been suspended on account of "unruly conduct were pressing for an explanation from the government on very troubling issues, to me, it appears to be appropriate to hear them on their points of view.

"Considering the factors that led to the suspension of 13 members, I would urge that the matter be re-looked into holistically and appropriate action taken for revoking the suspension and re-storing order in the House," he said. Chowdhury also said that when viewed from a larger perspective, the security apparatus of the Parliament House Estate is also heavily dependant on the Armed Personnel of the Delhi Police, Parliament Protection unit of CRPF and other agencies including the NSG as well as the Intelligence agencies.

"It is primarily on account of factors such as these that following the attack on Parliament House on December 13, 2001, the then Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani made a detailed statement on the incident in the House, and members, notwithstanding their Party affiliation 'solidly' stood as one in the interest of the nation and institutions that symbolise the democratic traditions and heritage," the Congress leader said.