The Delhi Police were responsible for the unruly scenes on August 11, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge has said in a letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu, urging him to withdraw access extended to outside security agencies.
Twelve Rajya Sabha members were suspended at the beginning of the winter session for their alleged misconduct on August 11 during the monsoon session.
Mr. Kharge said Opposition MPs were attacked and harassed by some security personnel in the lobbies. They did not belong to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat security service, but were from the Delhi Police. “These people were unknown to the members and that became the primary cause of suspicion, which led to unruly scenes in which Congress’s Phulo Devi Netam sustained injuries,” he wrote.
Mr. Kharge tried to read out this letter in the post-lunch session of the House but was disallowed by Deputy Chairman Harivansh.
He further flagged that a 2.5-minute CCTV footage was released to the public in an illegal manner by a government source. “This was not official Rajya Sabha TV live footage and was wilfully released with sole intentions to defame opposition MPs,” he wrote.
Mr. Kharge has made two requests to Mr. Naidu- only Rajya Sabha Secretariat security personnel should be allowed within the House and the lobbies and ‘illegal’ release of CCTV footage without proper authorisation should not be allowed.
