Shah has time for TV interviews, not for statement on LS security breach: Congress

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Friday slammed Home Minister Amit Shah for not making statement in both Houses of Parliament over the December 13 security breach in Lok Sabha.

The Congress also slammed the BJP and government for dubbing the Parliament security breach as a small incident while the case has been registered under the stringent unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and also asked the BJP government to clear the role of BJP Mysuru MP Patap Simha’s role in the security breach.

“For the last two days the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have not functioned. On the security breach of Parliament on December 13, we have demanded for a statement by Shah in both Houses. However, on December 14 and today, INDIA bloc parties demanded that he must come to both Houses and give a detailed statement on the security breach,” Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said while addressing a press conference at the party headquarters.

He said that the demand of the opposition MPs is not new as it has been the tradition that on every big incident or any big subject when the Parliament is in function then the concerned minister makes a statement in both the Houses of Parliament.

“But our Home Minister is having so much arrogance that he goes to a news channel and gives a detailed account of the security breach but he is not ready to say the same inside the House,” Ramesh said.

He said that the MPs of INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc have in written asked in both Houses for a detailed statement from him (SHAH) in both the Houses and then the House should function.

“The government has not agreed to our demands and it was the reason why the both the houses were adjourned on two days as no other discussions took place and the no business was taken up,” he said.

The Congress leader said that they have no expectation from the Prime Minister, but the concerned minister is not ready to come to the House and make a detailed statement.

He said that the MPs of the INDIA bloc have raised the issue of the BJP MP (Pratap Simha) on whose reference two people entered the Lok Sabha with the visitor’s slip.

“On the same day of the security breach, the government said that it is a small incident. However, the case registered against the accused has been registered under the stringent sections of the UA(P)A,” he said while slamming the government.

He said that the Speaker and the Minister have said that this is not a big issue, but it is proven that it is as the case has been registered under the UA(P)A.

“This is related to the security of the country, it is related to national security,” he said.

Ramesh also said that our demand is simple that the Home Minister should make a statement in both the Houses and on which the few members might raise question.

“Till the time the Home Minister does not come to House then I think there is a very thin chance of House functioning. As only four to five days are left, so from our side Mallikarjun Kharge and all the floor leaders of the INDIA have made the Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar aware about our demands,” he said.

He also asked that 14 MPs – 13 from Lok Sabha and one from Rajya Sabha have been suspended.

“What wrong have they done? They were simply demanding that the Home Minister should come, give reply in the House and should say something on the role of the BJP MP from Mysuru and what kind of action they will take against Him. But they have not found it appropriate to accept our demands,” the Congress leader said.

Ramesh also said that it is “unfortunate” that the two days of the businesses have been wasted, which was not our motto.

“We participated in the proceedings even when Shah made remarks against Congress,” he said, adding that but we kept on listening and participating in the House proceedings.

“But the government is adamant that it does not want to give a statement in the House, and they must tell what the role of the BJP MP was. INDIA parties wants that the House should run. This is the last session because after this in the month of January it will vote on account session,” Ramesh added.