Pepper spray attack: Meira Kumar asks Parliamentary committee to probe

In the wake of pepper spray attack incident that led to complete pandemonium in the Lower House, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Sunday directed the Parliament`s Committee of Privileges to investigate the matter.

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: In the wake of pepper spray attack incident that led to complete pandemonium in the Lower House, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Sunday directed the Parliament`s Committee of Privileges to investigate the matter.

"The Speaker has referred the matters relating to incidents that happened in the Lok Sabha, on February 13, to the Committee of Privileges of Lok Sabha for examination and report," a Lok Sabha Secretariat release said.
The Lok Sabha Secretariat said the decision to refer the matter to the Privileges Committee has been done under Rule 227 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha.

The function of the panel is to examine every question involving breach of privilege or contempt of the House or of the members of any Committee thereof referred to it by the House or by the Speaker.

The 15-member Committee, headed by senior Congress leader PC Chacko, has power to take punitive measures which include recommending imprisonment and even expulsion among others, as per a PTI report.

Yesterday, Kumar had directed the Committee on Security to convene an emergency meeting tomorrow to consider various options, which includes frisking of MPs, to prevent a repeat of the shameful incident.

The Committee on Security, headed by Deputy Speaker Karia Munda, will be examining all security-related matters including the means to prevent bringing of dangerous and life-threatening material into the Chamber of the House by the Members of Parliament.
According to reports, a Congress member from Telangana has complained to the Speaker for initiating criminal action against expelled party lawmaker L Rajagopal, who used pepper spray in the House on Thursday, and TDP member Venugopal Reddy.

Rajagopal attracted widespread condemnation after his use of pepper spray in the Lok Sabha to thwart introduction of the Telangana bill. The House had witnessed unprecedented ugly scenes.

The Speaker has dubbed the incident as a "blot" on India`s parliamentary traditions and insisted members maintain the highest standards of decorum and uphold democratic values which have been assiduously nurtured all these six decades in the country.

In a new low in India`s parliamentary history, pepper spray was used in the Lok Sabha resulting in hospitalisation of three MPs following a ruckus over introduction of the Telangana bill after which 16 Seemandhra MPs were suspended.

The Speaker had expressed anguish over the incidents saying it has "shamed the country and Parliament" and called it a "blot".

On February 13, the Speaker had named 16 members who stood automatically suspended from the service of the House for five consecutive sittings under Rule 374A, in the wake of the incidents.

Zee News App: Read latest news of India and world, bollywood news, business updates, cricket scores, etc. Download the Zee news app now to keep up with daily breaking news and live news event coverage.