'High-level Inquiry Committee For In-depth Investigation': Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla Writes To All MPs On Parliament Security Breach

New Delhi: Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla on Saturday wrote to all the members of parliament regarding the unsettling incident of attack in the Lok Sabha on December 13. In his letter to the MPs, Birla stated that a high-level committee has been constituted to probe the matter and the report of the committee will be shared with the house as soon as it is generated.

The Speaker of the Lok Sabha additionally conveyed that a high-powered committee has been established to assess different facets of security within the Parliament complex. The committee aims to prevent the recurrence of any untoward incidents in the future.

Om Birlain his letter said that the linking of the suspension of some MPs to the parliament security breach incident by some members is unfortunate and is unwarranted. "The suspension of Hon'ble Members is purely to uphold the sanctity of the house,' stated the letter.

"There is no association between the suspension of honourable members and the incident which took place on December 13, 2023. The suspension of honourable members is purely to uphold the sanctity of the house", the letter read.

"We are well aware that the people of our country do not appreciate the inappropriate conduct and interruptions during the proceedings of the House. That is the reason we are unanimous that we would establish highest standards of parliamentary decorum and dignity," Om Birla said, adding that he was "compelled to take strict action of suspending members".

"At the time of the inauguration of the new building of our Parliament, we had resolved that we will refrain from bringing placards inside the House; we will not create ruckus in the well of the House," Birla said.

On December 13, two men jumped inside the Lok Sabha from the visitors' gallery above the chamber and threw smoke canisters inside the Parliament, triggering panic on the day India marked 22nd anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack.

The security breach happened on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack. Two people--Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D--jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released yellow gas from canisters and shouted anti-establishment slogans before being overpowered by the MPs.

Outside it, in another incident, two protestors -- Neelam (42) and Amol (25) -- protested outside the Parliament with similar gas canisters. However, all four were sent to seven-day custody of Delhi Police Special Cell on Thursday. 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.