"Gross misconduct", Trinamool member Derek O'Brien suspended for rest of Winter session of Parliament

NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Derek O' Brien has been suspended from participating in the rest of the winter session of parliament for a "gross misconduct" and "defying the Chair" during the proceedings on Thursday morning. The winter session is scheduled to run till December 22.

The Upper House of the Parliament has adopted a motion for the suspension of the Trinamool member.

O'Brien had demanded a discussion on the security breach incident, in which two men jumped from the visitors' gallery into the Lok Sabha and burst yellow smoke canisters.

Soon after, the Trinamool MP was named by the Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and was asked to leave the House.

Despite the warning from the Chair, O'Brien and some other opposition members continued to protest, and demanded that Union Home Minister Amit Shah be present in the House to answer for yesterday's security breach incident.

Speaking outside Parliament Trinamool MP Dola Sen also demanded action against BJP MP Pratap Simha who had reportedly helped the accused Manoranjan get a visitor pass for Parliament.

"Why is the Ethics committee is quiet on this? Pratap Simha who is a BJP MP, why is he not being expelled. We seriously want to know if the security of parliamentarians is compromised then what will happen to the people of the county? Home minister did not even give statement on this. TMC needs a proper investigation" Dola Sen said.

Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha secretariat suspended eight security personnel on Thursday over security lapses that led to a major security breach in Parliament on Wednesday.

The security breach happened on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack. Two people--Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D--jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released yellow gas from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by the MPs.

Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with senior ministers inside the Parliament over security breach. While the opposition leaders are demanding statements in both houses.

A drastic security change was witnessed in the Parliament on Thursday with security personnel deputed on the entrance of the outer gates insisting to remove even shoes despite doing minute frisking of those entering the premises of the campus.

The new security set-up looks similar to that of the airport where shoes, especially long boots or a few made of leather, are asked to open during security check. Only MPs are being allowed to enter the Parliament building from Makar Dwar, and all persons entering the building are being checked thoroughly.

As per the Ministry of Home Affairs, the enquiry committee will investigate into the reasons for breach in security of Parliament, identify lapses and recommend further action. "The Committee will submit its report with recommendations, including suggestions on improving security in Parliament, at the earliest," the MHA had said.