Following last week’s security breach,
the Central Government has made a big modification regarding access to the
Parliament. Bharat’s significant building will now be guarded by the Central
Industrial Security Force, or CISF, replacing Delhi Police as the agency in
charge, and will take over all responsibilities, including frisking entrants.
Security within the building will
continue to be the responsibility of the Lok Sabha Secretariat, while the
police will continue to protect the outer perimeter, said the Home Ministry.
The change, seen as a bid to streamline
protocols instead of having multiple agencies get in each others’ way, will be
enforced after the detailed security sweep ordered by the Home Ministry.
The CISF provides “integrated security
cover to sensitive public sector undertakings” and presently guards over 350
such locations, including airports, sea ports, and nuclear facilities.
Two men gained access to the Lok Sabha’s
visitor gallery via passes issued by a BJP MP’s office, and popped yellow smoke
canisters inside the chamber, triggering a massive scare on December 13.
The cans were slipped past Delhi Police’s
physical checks in cavities cut into custom-made shoes.
Two others – a man and a woman – opened
red and yellow smoke cans outside the building.
All four have been put behind bars and
are being quizzed by the police. Two others, including the alleged mastermind,
are also in custody, but the entire incident has led to a massive political controversy,
with the Opposition demanding answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his
government.
After the scary security incident, the
government tightened protocols for entry into the Parliament complex, prohibiting
visitors and non-essential staff. Separate entrances were allotted for MPs and
their staff members, while press (temporarily banned) were given a third gate.
Visitors, when allowed again, must enter
from a fourth gate.
Additionally, the visitors’ gallery will
be encased in glass to stop people from jumping into the House chamber, and
body scan machines – similar to those in airports – will be installed.
Last week’s security breach was on the
22nd anniversary of the attack on the old Parliament building, which saw
terrorists from two Pakistan-based terror outfits kill nine people.
NE Watch Desk
