Opposition leaders are vehemently calling for the expulsion of BJP MP Pratap Simha, who has come under intense scrutiny for granting a visitor pass to Sagar Sharma, one of the individuals involved in the security breach within the Lok Sabha chambers on Wednesday. Simha's issuance of a pass facilitated Sagar Sharma's access to the visitor's gallery, from which he and another individual, Manoranjan D, descended into the chambers, releasing yellow gas and causing chaos.
In the aftermath of the incident, Congress workers staged a protest outside Pratap Simha's office, holding him accountable for the security lapse in the Lok Sabha. Slogans were raised against him during the demonstration.
Sources indicate that Pratap Simha justified issuing the pass by stating that Sagar Sharma's father, a resident of Simha's Lok Sabha constituency, had requested it, expressing a desire for the accused to witness the new Parliament building. However, the Opposition, particularly the Trinamool Congress, is demanding Simha's expulsion, drawing parallels with the removal of party leader Mahua Moitra as a Lok Sabha MP.
Accusing Pratap Simha of jeopardizing the safety of fellow parliamentarians, the Trinamool Congress questioned why similar consequences should not be meted out to him. They are questioning the right of Simha to continue as a parliamentarian after compromising the security of his colleagues.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also joined the chorus, urging action against Pratap Simha and asserting that he must be "held accountable" for issuing the visitor pass. Chaturvedi raised concerns about how the two intruders managed to bypass multiple security levels and enter the Lok Sabha carrying smoke cans. She demanded a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the incident.
Chaturvedi highlighted her previous warnings about potential security threats, citing her mention of Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun's threat to attack Parliament during the Zero Hour on Tuesday. She expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of response or acknowledgment of the threat, emphasizing the need to take concerns raised by Opposition leaders seriously.
Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha also chimed in, questioning whether Pratap Simha would face expulsion for signing the visitor pass. He raised crucial questions about the circumstances surrounding the breach, the ability of intruders to bring spray cans into a restricted area, and the government's intended actions against the MP involved in the issuance of visitor passes.
