PM Meets Speaker, Discusses Security Breach In Parliament, Karnataka Assembly

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla this evening to discuss the recent security breach in Parliament, sources said.  The meeting took place after the Lok Sabha adjournment indefinitely.

After last week's breach in the security of Parliament -- when two men smuggled in smoke bombs and let it off during the house proceedings -- whatever steps and security measures are needed, should be taken, sources quoted PM Modi as saying.

The Prime Minister also spoke of the recent incident in Karnataka Assembly, where a man, impersonating an MLA, went inside and stayed for a while.

The 72-year-old man, who slipped in undetected, was arrested after spending 15 minutes wandering in the House among the legislators.

The police had said he managed it because the marshalls do not know every MLA by sight yet. Investigations are still on into the matter.

The incident at parliament was more serious, raising multiple questions about the security measures that have been upgraded during the shift to the new building.

Cocking a snook at the multi-layered security, the men had
apparently smuggled in the smoke canisters inside their shoes. They were meant as protest measure to draw attention to the plight of farmers, the situation in Manipur and the growing unemployment across the country.

All the people allegedly involved are in police custody. Four were arrested that day and the alleged mastermind, Kolkata-based teacher Lalit Jha, later surrendered.

Investigators said off the record that there appeared to be no organised terror group behind the plot. Still, they are conducting an in-depth questioning of the accused.