Uproar in Parliament over AAP MP’s video

Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till Monday by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan after pandemonium in the House as members, rising above party lines, demanded immediate action against AAP member Bhagwant Mann for circulating a video of security zones in Parliament’s premises.

As the House reassembled after 12 noon, members were up on their feet demanding action against the lawmaker from Sangrur in Punjab while the Speaker allowed tabling of papers by ministers and members as listed in the day’s agenda. Amid noisy scenes, the Speaker said she has received separate notices of privilege against Mann as also requests for adjournment of House proceedings to raise the issue.

Mahajan said among others Kirit Somaiya, Maheish Girri, Udit Raj (all BJP) and Prem Singh Chandumajra (Akali Dal) had given privilege motion notices against Mann while Biju Janata Dal leader B. Mahtab has given a complaint note against the AAP member. Other members including Chandrakant Khere (Shiv Sena) demanded time to speak on the issue in the House.

Speaker said the matter raised by members was “very serious” as Parliament had earlier witnessed a terror attack where 13 security personal had been killed in 2001. “Some action needs to be taken, I agree. I will consider the matter,” she said.

However, members remained unsatisfied and demanded immediate action against the member. R.K. Singh of BJP said the AAP MP should be suspended immediately as Mann has told the media that he would “again put such video footage” on social networking websites.

B. Mahtab (Biju Janata Dal) said the matter was more serious than mere breach of privilege and security as he believed the video was not circulated “out of mere foolishness or ignorance”. “A separate committee must be set up by the Speaker,” he demanded.

He recalled that 13 people had laid down their lives protecting Parliament premises and members on 13 December 2001 when terrorists attacked the temple of democracy.

“The matter was so serious that Sonia Gandhi who was not present in the House then had called up the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and enquired about the incident,” Mahtab said.

Congress floor leader Mallikarjun Kharge too echoed the same sentiment of the members and maintained that such actions should not be allowed to go on as it concerned the security of parliament and democracy.

“Such actions should be condemned and actions taken as Indian Parliament is the place where representatives of 125 crore Indians come,” Kharge said. However despite requests from the chair as ruckus continued the Speaker adjourned the proceedings till Monday, 25 July.

The proceedings of Rajya Sabha, that met briefly around 12.30 p.m., was later adjourned till 2.30 pm. Mann on Thursday shot a video clip of his journey from home to Parliament, including going past the various security pickets, and uploaded it on the social media, drawing flak from various quarters for putting Parliament security in peril.