BJP MP Pratap Simha found himself at the center of the storm following the revelation that a visitor pass issued under his name facilitated the entry of one of the individuals involved in the startling breach of the Lok Sabha chambers. As the investigation delves into the intrusion that rocked the Parliament, Simha met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to provide insight into the accused, shedding light on the circumstances surrounding the pass issuance.
Sources revealed that the pass, issued to Sagar Sharma, was at the behest of Sharma's father, a resident within Simha's constituency in Mysuru, who sought access to witness the new Parliament building. Simha emphasized that he remained in constant coordination with his personal assistant and office to facilitate Sharma's visit, offering no additional information beyond these details during his briefing to the Speaker.
Sharma, accompanied by Manoranjan D, executed their breach by leaping from the visitor's gallery into the chambers, wielding gas canisters that released yellow gas before being intercepted by vigilant MPs. Concurrently, outside the Parliament premises, two protesters, identified as Amol and Neelam, staged a demonstration wielding similar cans emitting yellow smoke. Sources hinted at a conspiracy involving six individuals, with all four directly involved in the breach already in custody.
The use of a visitor pass associated with Simha sparked protests by Congress workers outside his office in Mysuru. The political realm saw a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Congress highlighted a picture of him alongside Simha, captioned with a remark on the infiltration into Parliament via Simha's pass.
The visitor pass issuance process involves requests made under an MP's name for visiting the Parliament. Typically, MPs oversee security checks and authenticate the identity of their visitors. Stringent security measures, including electronic checks, are implemented at the Parliament's entrance for visitor clearance.
As investigations continue into how the intruders managed entry with colored smoke using Simha's visitor pass, the police delve deeper into the breach, focusing on the loopholes in the security protocol.
