141 Indian lawmakers seeking debate on parliament security breach suspended

NEW DELHI

At least 141 opposition lawmakers were suspended from the Indian parliament as they disrupted proceedings of the ongoing session to seek discussion and a government’s statement on a security breach at the parliament last week.

“A complete purge is being executed so that draconian Bills are passed without any meaningful debate, and so that the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) MP who facilitated the entry of the two intruders into the Lok Sabha on December 13th goes scot-free,” Jairam Ramesh, a senior leader of Indian National Congress who is among the suspended lawmakers, posted on X.

Last week, two people managed to enter the Indian parliament and set off a smoke canister in its lower house while lawmakers were in session.

Indian authorities filed terrorism charges against four suspects related to the security breach. Six people were arrested in the case.

The government has rejected calls for a parliament debate and instead has ordered a probe into the incident, which coincided with the 22nd anniversary of a deadly assault on parliament in 2001.