New Delhi, December 23, 2024: The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) denied with firmness any lapse in security during the clash that erupted on December 19 at the Makar Dwar gate of Parliament and caused serious injuries to BJP MPs Pratap Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput.
This fight commenced when BJP MPs assembled on the steps in protest against Congress for showing what they call disrespect to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Indian Constitution.
The tension ran high when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi came closer to the protesting crowd until it eventually burst into a physical fight.
During the altercation of the mischief, MP Pratap Sarangi, aged 70, was beaten and suffered severe injuries to his forehead, while Mukesh Rajput reportedly fell unconscious owing to rising blood pressure.
Both were later admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.
The Statement of the CISF
“The clash happened, but there was no lapse on the part of CISF,” stated DIG Shrikant Kishore addressing the media. He emphasized that the force acted as per established protocols required to abide by, especially since no weapons were allowed inside the premises of the Parliament during the incident time.
He also said that the CISF is not carrying out and has not been asked to carry out any probe concerning this matter.
Political Fallout
The fight has fueled the ever-mounting fire of political quarrels between the BJP and the Congress. The BJP alleged Rahul Gandhi of having assaulted him, calling his behavior “goonish.”
Congress MPs have filed complaints saying that during the combat, Gandhi was mishandled by three BJP MPs. The Delhi Police, based on the complaint from the BJP, have registered a First Information Report, further ragging up the row.
On behalf of the CISF, which is primarily responsible for securing the Parliament House Complex, he reiterated that the security protocols they have in place will be executed in totality.
DIG Kishore spoke about how they had followed the standard operating procedure during the incident and no breach of security norms was there.
He mentioned that there had been no incident relating to the force preventing any weapons from entering the Parliament premises where a secure environment exists for the conduct of legislative proceedings.
This incident is not an unprecedented one because a security breach before it in December 2023 saw some unknown people unleash color gas canisters inside the Lok Sabha chamber, which led to an uptick in security concerns.
Had that incident been altercated, the Speaker of Lok Sabha ordered a probe and Khasi conducted a separate investigation to check on the administrative settings of security. The eruption of such events has prompted discussions about the adequacy of current security provisions in Parliament.
The whole incident of the scuffle on December 19 has not only resulted in injured persons but also opened up a political blame game between the two major political parties of India.
While the CISF maintains that there were no breaches in security protocols, the incident only really underscores the need for continued vigilance and possible re-evaluations of their security arrangements to check on such occurrences in the future.
During the carryings-on the case turns, security as well as the political front would move toward addressing the core issues that have rendered this clash.
