TMC accuses BJP of shielding MP who provided visitor pass to intruders

KOLKATA: Protesting against the suspension of its party MP Derek O’Brien from Rajya Sabha, Trinamool Congress on Friday accused the BJP of shielding their MP Pratap Simha who allegedly provided the visitor pass to the Parliament attackers on Wednesday.

The party’s spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said neither has the Union Home minister Amit Shah resigned from his position nor has the BJP taken any action against its lawmaker.

Further, with BJP leaders Sukanta Majumder and Amit Malviya sharing a photo on social media and remarking that the main accused in the Parliament security breach case, Lalit Jha, had allegedly been in close association with the TMC MP Tapas Roy, Kunal said the BJP has plummeted to an “irredeemable low”.

The BJP leaders demanded that Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee must speak on the matter.

Kunal wrote on X: “Your attempts to shield BJP MP@mepratap Mr. Malviya, are futile! @BJP4India has plummeted to an irredeemable low. The fear emanating from the opposition’s resolute demand for HM @AmitShah’s resignation exposes your party’s appalling negligence in the face of a critical national security breach. How much lower will you stoop to evade accountability and exploit political vendettas?”

Kunal has further said that BJP is resorting to diversionary tactics. He said: “It doesn’t matter where the man lived or visited. He could have been in many states or cities. Question is how was he allowed to enter the Parliament with smoke canisters? This was a clear lapse in security of the Parliament. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi must speak on this matter in Parliament.”

Further, TMC is also protesting against the suspension of its Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien for allegedly raising questions inside the House regarding the security breach. Derek himself staged a silent protest near the Gandhi statue near Parliament.

TMC wrote on X: “TRUTH stands strong! The unjust suspension of our MP@derekobrienmp, from Rajya Sabha for merely demanding a discussion on #SecurityBreach is a heinous act.”

Earlier, TMC leader Shashi Panja said: “It is an established fact for lawmakers that the House belongs to the Opposition. Now it seems the House only belongs to the BJP lawmakers given how Opposition MPs, including TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien, were suspended for raising questions inside Parliament on the security breach. What kind of justice is this? Where is Parliamentary democracy?”