Terming the filming and uploading of a video on the social media by AAP member Bhagwant Mann as a “serious breach of security”, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Monday set up a nine-member panel to probe into the issue and submit its report by August 3.

The Speaker advised the Sangrur MP to “not to attend” the ongoing Monsoon session till the report is tabled.

Reacting to the move, Mann accused the BJP, Congress and Akali Dal of joining hands to “suppress his voice” in view of the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls. He claimed he has been “barred” from raising issues of public by being not allowed to attend the House proceedings.

He also demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s expulsion for compromising on natural security with the decision to allow Pakistan’s security agency inside the country post the Pathankot airbase attack.

The “grand alliance” of the BJP, Congress and Akalis has hatched a “conspiracy against me as I am very active in the House and raise issues of the public”, he said.

Mann triggered a row last week after he shot a video of his journey from home to Parliament House, including past various security points, and posted it on social media.

Political parties called it a breach of Parliament’s security and sought action against him. Mann later apologised to the Speaker and removed the video from Facebook.

“Parliament is the sanctum sanctorum of democracy. The MP’s act of audio-visual recording and posting it on social media puts the security of Parliament in peril,” Majahan announced in the House on Monday, adding that she had discussed the matter with leaders of political parties in the Lok Sabha and “all of them unanimously agreed to the course of action I propose to take”.

The probe committee will be headed by BJP member Kirit Somaiya. The other members are Meenakshi Lekhi and Satyapal Singh (BJP), Anandrao Adsul (Shiv Sena), Bhartuhari Mahtab (BJD), Ratna De (Trinamool Congress), Thota Narasimham (TDP), KC Venugopal (Congress) and P Venugopal (AIADMK).

Seeks explanation The Speaker also asked Mann to submit his “statement/explanation” regarding the matter by 10.30 am on Tuesday before the panel.

The panel has been tasked with looking into the “serious security implications and related aspects germane to and arising out of the conduct of audio-visual recording around Parliament House by Mann on July 21, 2016 and subsequent uploading of the said audio-visual recording by him on social media”, and suggest measures to avoid the recurrence of such incidents.

comment COMMENT NOW