Demands for frisking of Members of Parliament fizzle out

The demands for frisking of MPs while entering Parliament, triggered after the 'pepper spray' attack by one of them last week, fizzled out on Monday with a Parliamentary Committee deciding against making such a recommendation.

The 10-member Committee on Security in Parliament Complex, which held an emergency meeting+, deliberated on the issue of frisking of MPs as part of efforts to stop entry of 'harmful/life threatening' material into the complex in view of urgency induced by the February 13 incident in the Lok Sabha.

Sources said the members of the Committee were divided on the issues of frisking or even scanning of the MPs, for which demands came from some MPs after L Rajagopal, expelled Congress member of the Lok Sabha, sprayed pepper in the House to prevent introduction of Telangana Bill.

While some said if MPs are frisked at airports they could be frisked in Parliament complex too, some others disagreed.

Some members said that instead of "obstructive" physical frisking, MPs and their belongings could be scanned using gadgets like X-Ray and millimetre wave technology.

However, a member objected to scanning saying its violates the privacy of the member as X-Ray machines show the "body contours" of the person being scanned. Moreover, frequent scanning can expose people to harmful radiation, he argued.

Finally, the Committee decided against making any recommendation on frisking.

There was a view that the term of the current Lok Sabha was anyway coming to an end shortly and any such matter should be decided by the next Lok Sabha.

The matter was referred to the Committee by Speaker Meira Kumar on Sunday.

After the unprecedented incident of pepper spraying, several MPs cutting across party lines had advocated a screening system for the members at Parliament gate.

The Committee also deliberated on ways to deal with disruptions and MPs rushing to the Well of the House.

Most of the members of the Committee agreed that those rushing to the Well of the House should face immediate suspension. Some said those carrying harmful material should face immediate disqualification.

"It is up to the House to decide. This issue (of rushing to the Well) has been discussed on several occasions in the past. Now is the time to enforce it. Of course political parties have to agree on this," said a member after the meeting.

Another member said since protest is part of Parliamentary democracy, members should be allowed to raise issues from their respective seats.

Against the backdrop of videos shot by MPs appearing on news channels on the pepper spray incident, members felt that Parliamentarians should be reminded of code of conduct, which prohibits them from making videos and talking on phone inside the House, through bulletins.

The views expressed by the members in today's meeting chaired by Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Kariya Munda will be conveyed to the Speaker.

After the unprecedented incident in the Lok Sabha, Congress MP Sukhinder Reddy had said, "There should be a system to prevent MPs carrying these kinds of materials into the House."

JMM MP Kameswar Baitha had said a system like frisking of MPs before entering Parliament should be in place to stop these violent incidents in the House.

Congress leader Bhakta Charan Das said "screening of MPs before entering Parliament is necessary after the incident. Some system should be in place at the entrance to screen the MPs."

SP MP Jaya Bachchan said the issue of screening MPs needs to be discussed.