NEW DELHI: The curious security lapse in the Indian parliament took a curiouser turn on Thursday when the ruling party used its majority to expel 14 opposition MPs for demanding a statement from the home minister on the incident.

Four persons were placed on a 7-day remand for Wednesday’s security breach after two men from the group jumped into the Lok Sabha from the visitor’s gallery and released yellow smoke from canisters while shouting anti-government slogans. The other two released yellow smoke outside the parliament building.

The house first suspended five opposition MPs from different parties and later added another nine to the list.

Reports said one of the MPs suspended was not even in Delhi when the opposition vociferously demanded an explanation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi moved the resolution to suspend V. K. Sreekandan (Congress), Benny Behanan (Cong), Mohammad Jawed (Cong), P. R. Natarajan (CPI-M), Kanimozhi (DMK), K. Subbarayan (CPI), S. R. Parthiban (DMK), S Venkatesan (CPI-M), Manickam Tagore (Cong).

He earlier moved a resolution amid the din to suspend five MPs. “I move the following that this House having taken misconduct of T. N. Prathapan, Hibi Eden, Jothimani, Ramya Haridas and Dean Kuria­kose in utter disregard to the House and the authority of this Chair and having been named by the chair … to be suspended from the service of the House for reminder session,” the resolution read.

The security breach is not being reported in the media as an act of terrorism but bears resemblance to the Dec 13, 2001 incident when armed men drove into the parliament compound using home ministry stickers as passes that allowed their vehicle to pass unchallenged.

They then crashed into a parked car which set off a round of shooting in which all intruders and six security personnel were killed. Alleged conspirators were arrested, tried and one of them was hanged as he pleaded innocence.

Both security lapses occurred during BJP rule. In the 2001 episode, the parliament was expecting a house report on alleged corruption involving arms purchase in which the defence minister was named when the shocking breach occurred and changed the subject altogether.

The new incident has coincided with the winter session of the Lok Sabha, which has been embroiled in a heated standoff between the government and the opposition over the controversial expulsion of a woman MP from West Bengal, a staunch critic of a powerful tycoon close to the prime minister.

Now, the expulsion of MPs has become the new talking point for the pro-government media, shifting the focus even from the breach.

According to the Press Trust of India, before their suspension, the MPs moved into the well of the house raising slogans with demand of a statement from the government.

Reports said that the group that allegedly breached the security had bought Indian flags from North Delhi’s Sadar Bazaar in the morning, collected visitors’ passes from an MP’s personal assistant just hours earlier, and were careful not to lob the smoke canisters to ensure their actions are not construed as an attack, their questioning by the Delhi Police has revealed.

Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2023