Parliament security breach: Congress accuses PM Modi of "running away from debate" to avoid question on BJP MP's role

New Delhi [India], December 17 (ANI): The Congress alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi is evading a discussion on the Parliament security breach that occurred on December 13 and claimed that the Prime Minister's reluctance to engage in a debate is rooted in the fact that questions would be raised about the role of BJP MP Pratap Simha in facilitating entry for those involved into the Lok Sabha visitors' gallery.
The Opposition's attack came after the Prime Minister, during an interview with a national daily, called for no squabbling over the issue, and said that the seriousness of the security breach incident cannot be underestimated.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of running away from a debate on Parliament issue and said that questions will be raised on the role of the Mysuru BJP MP Pratap Simha in the Lok Sabha tomorrow.
"The Prime Minister has finally broken his silence on the extraordinary events in the Lok Sabha on December 13th. He says a probe is needed and not debate and that such a probe is on. All that INDIA parties are asking for and will continue to press for is a statement by the Home Minister on what happened on December 13th and how exactly it happened," Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X.
"The PM is running away from a debate for a very simple reason. Questions will be raised on the role of the Mysuru BJP MP Pratap Simha in facilitating the entry of the intruders into the Lok Sabha on December 13th," he added.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that the accused who jumped from the visitor's gallery in Parliament have said that they did it to protest against unemployment.
"It will be better if the BJP does not twist Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's words...The accused who jumped (from the visitor's gallery in Parliament) have said that they did it to protest against unemployment...It is nothing wrong if Rahul Gandhi says the same thing," Chowdhury said.
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari has hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the Parliament security breach incident and asked the PM to take note that in independent India history, no one is able to enter inside the Parliament building, breaching its security.
"PM Modi should take note that till now nobody has breached the several layers of security and entered the Parliament in independent India. What the Prime Minister says outside the Parliament, why can't he say inside it?" said MP Pramod Tiwari.
In his first reaction, PM Modi told a national daily there was a need for a probe into the incident, not a debate.
"Efforts should also be made to look for a solution with collective spirit. Everyone should avoid squabbling over such an issue," the PM said in an interview.
On December 13, two men jumped inside the Lok Sabha from the visitor's gallery above the chamber and threw smoke cannisters inside the Parliament, triggering panic on the day India marked the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack.
The opposition MPs of the INDIA bloc have been demanding a word from Home Minister Amit Shah over the security lapse incident.
The fifth accused Lalit Jha, who allegedly planned the incident, has also been arrested and Mahesh Kumawat is the sixth accused arrested in the case. (ANI)