New Delhi:

In his first remarks on the Parliament security breach last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the incident was “very serious”. He said there is “no need to debate” this and that a “detailed investigation” should be carried out.

“The seriousness of this incident should not be downplayed. The (Lok Sabha) Speaker is taking all the necessary steps. Probe agencies are investigating the matter. It is important to find out which elements are behind this and what their objectives are. There is no need to debate this, there should be a detailed investigation into this,” he told Dainik Jagran newspaper in an interview.

Shocking scenes played out in the Lok Sabha chamber Wednesday when two intruders jumped from desk to desk and deployed coloured smoke from canisters. Their co-accused staged a similar protest outside the Parliament. They have told investigators that their objective was to draw attention to Manipur violence, unemployment and farmers’ problems. A total of six people have been arrested in connection with a case so far. Delhi Police have invoked the stringent anti-terror law, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, against the trespassers.

The Opposition has criticised the government over the huge security breach and demanded a statement by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, however, has said the security inside Lok Sabha is under the secretariat’s purview and that it will not let the Centre intervene. “The government cannot intervene in (responsibilities of) Lok Sabha secretariat. We will not allow that either,” he said, responding to Opposition MPs’ slogans.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the security breach is a serious issue. “We are asking for the Home Minister’s statement in Parliament, but the Home Minister is not saying anything, neither is he giving a statement. He is speaking in TV shows, but not inside Parliament. This is not good for democracy,” he told reporters.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said the youngsters who breached Parliament’s security were youngsters who are jobless due to the Narendra Modi government’s policies. “The biggest issue in the country is that of unemployment, which is boiling all over the country. The country’s youth are not getting employment due to the policies of Modi ji,” he said.

The BJP hit back, saying Mr Gandhi “always talks trash” and pointing out that unemployment was at its lowest in the last six years.

“Instead, Rahul Gandhi and I.N.D.I Alliance leaders must explain the close linkages of those involved in the Parliament breach with Congress, TMC, and CPI(M),” BJP IT in-charge Amit Malviya said in a post on X.