'It was like a terrorist attack,' TMC MP on Parliament security breach

TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar questioned the security arrangements in Parliament stating that no security personnel were present when two intruders jumped in the Lok Sabha chamber and said 'It could have been poisonous gas, smoke bomb, or bio chemical warfare.'

TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar during the Winter session of Parliament.

Credits: PTI Photo

New Delhi: TMC's Lok Sabha MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, who was present in the House when Parliament security breach occurred, compared it to a terror attack on Thursday.

"It was like a terrorist attack... Before members could understand anything, one person took out something and started releasing smoke. It could have been poisonous gas, smoke bomb, or bio chemical warfare," said Dastidar.

Trinamool Congress MPs questioned the security arrangements in Parliament stating that no security personnel were present when two intruders jumped in the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitors gallery on Wednesday causing a serious security breach.

"To our dismay not a single security personnel was available inside the Lok Sabha which is deplorable," Dastidar said.

"This nation depends on the Union government for its safety, security and their development, but look at the state of affairs. No security came, MPs went and caught hold of one of the men. The security came in 30-40 minutes. What was the hurry in opening this new building? Our old building was working quite fine. The new building was opened to get some brownie points," she said.

Dastidar also questioned if any action would be taken against the BJP MP who authorised the passes.

"The honourable member who signed the form, the member is from BJP. The question is - Is it in connivance with the particular member that security of Parliament was breached?" she said.

"Police came nearly 40 minutes after the incident. What if they were carrying plastic bombs, security officials said they could not catch the can on metal detector because it was plastic... We are worried for the people of the nation that (sic) this kind of security breach may take place on the borders of the country as well," she said.

The party' Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen accused government of maintaining silence over the breach.

"Is security breach not an important issue... The Home Minister should come and give a statement," she said.