New Delhi: Political parties on Friday united to demand action against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lawmaker Bhagwant Mann for a video that he posted live on Facebook that revealed the Parliament’s security checks and other facilities.
After an uproar in Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament), Mann, 42, a popular stand-up comedian and lawmaker from Punjab, was summoned and chastised by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan for his video, which breached Parliament’s security protocols.
“A committee will be formed, since all party members are upset with Mann’s actions. I am also looking into complaints of Mann being drunk at Parliament, a charge he denied to reporters today. A written complaint has been filed by Harinder Singh Khalsa, suspended by the Aam Aadmi Party a year ago for indiscipline, who is allotted the seat next to Mann in Parliament. Other Members of Parliament have also complained that Mann reeks of alcohol,” Speaker Mahajan said on Friday.
Mahajan is also likely to seek a detailed report from the Parliament security on the issue.
“It needs to be verified if it was act of foolishness or was done under influence of some agencies,” she added.
A notice of privilege against Mann has also been given to the Speaker by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Members of Parliament (MPs) Maheish Giri and Kirit Somaiya.
Lawmakers from the government as well as the Opposition referred to the 2001 terror attack in Parliament as they demanded that Mann be penalised for streaming the video.
Congress leader Anand Sharma asked the government why it had not yet made any move or even blocked the video.
Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said, “Mann endangered the lives of all Parliamentarians, Prime Minister, vice-president and other people, too.”
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was also not amused.
“Bhagwant Mann will go to jail if he does it the next time. At a time when terrorists are looking for opportunities to attack, giving out such sensitive information is disastrous,” Naqvi said.
Reacting to the developments, Mann tendered an unconditional apology on Friday, saying, “I never wanted to put the security of Parliament at threat, I apologise unconditionally in writing and also assure that this won’t be repeated. I did it unknowingly. I didn’t know it will become such a big thing.”
However, he added in his defence that “Google Earth also shows approach to Parliament on its website.” He said he wanted to give his constituency a first-hand experience of how Parliament functions.
In the video, Mann is seen giving commentary as his vehicle crosses security barricades, while going to the Parliament.
“I will today show you something you would not have seen earlier,” Mann said in the beginning of the video.
Inside the Parliament premises, he goes into the room where the process of selection of questions for the Zero Hour is done. As he describes the process, a security official is heard telling him not to take photographs.
“I will not take photo. I will maintain confidentiality,” Mann says in his reply.
In the video, he says that the process is entirely transparent and shows how the lucky draw is carried out to select the questions. At one point, he was also heard saying, “It is going live.”
