'Let People Decide If I Am A Traitor Or Patriot': BJP MP Pratap Simha On Parliament Security Breach

In one of his first comments on Parliament security breach, BJP MP Pratap Simha on Sunday said that he has left it for the people to decide whether he is a traitor or a patriot. 

“Goddess Chamundeshwari, Goddess Kaveri, and my reader fans know whether I am patriotic or anti-national. People will give their mandate in this regard in the upcoming Mysuru-Kodagu Lok Sabha election," Simha told reporters. 

The Bhartiya Janata Party MP from Mysuru is embroiled in a controversy after it was alleged that a visitor's pass was issued in his name to the two accused of breaching the security of Lok Sabha on 13 December. 

When asked about the posters that called him a “traitor,” Simha said, “They (people) are the ones who have to ultimately give the judgement. They will decide whether I'm a patriot. I leave it to their decision. I don't have anything to say other than that."

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi earlier this week said that Simha has submitted his statements as part of the ongoing investigation on the Parliament security breach case. 

The security breach in Lok Sabha triggered a political slugfest between the Central government and the Opposition who called for a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the House and demanded action against Simha. 

Following the security breach in the Indian Parliament on the anniversary of the 2001 attack, safety protocol in the complex has been altered significantly. It has also been decided that the security of the Parliament will now be handed over to Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) from Delhi Police.