NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the seriousness of the security breach in Parliament cannot be underestimated, and called for no squabbling over the issue amid the Opposition's protests over it in Parliament.
In an interview with the Hindi daily 'Dainik Jagran', Modi said probe agencies are investigating the incident and taking stringent measures, noting that it is equally necessary to go to the root of people behind it and their motives.
The newspaper said he described the breach as "painful and a matter of concern."
"Efforts should also be made to look for a solution with collective spirit. Everyone should avoid squabbling over such an issue," he said.
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"The gravity of the incident which happened in Parliament should not be underestimated," the prime minister said, adding that the Speaker has also been taking necessary steps with all seriousness.
Two persons jumped from the visitors' gallery into the Lok Sabha chamber on December 13, with opposition parties, demanding a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah. Some members have also sought Shah's resignation.
In a major security breach on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack on Wednesday, two persons—Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D—jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released yellow gas from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by the MPs.
The government has insisted that the security in Parliament complex is the responsibility of the Lok Sabha secretariat and it has been following the Speaker's directives. It has also cited numerous such violations in the past, accusing the opposition of politicising the issue.
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To a question about the BJP picking relatively new and little-known leaders as chief ministers in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, Modi said the leaders have lots of experience and hard work behind them.
Taking a jibe at those questioning the BJP's choices, he said it has been the country's misfortune that a big section of people who influence the society are bound to a trite and narrow mindset.
"This is not confined to only the political field. This nature troubles us in every field. If in any field, some name becomes big with some branding, then others do not get attention irrespective of their talent and hard work. A similar thing happens in politics," he said.
The media's focus for some decades has unfortunately been the most on a few families and due to this, talent and usefulness of new people are not being discussed, he said.
"That is why you often see some people as new. But the truth is that they are not new. They have done the hard work and have their own experience," he added.
The BJP leadership has picked Vishnu Deo Sai, Mohan Yadav and Bhajan Lal Sharma as chief ministers of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan respectively, looking over the claims of former CMs Raman Singh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Vasundhara Raje.
On the Supreme Court verdict on Article 370, Modi said the top court has put its stamp on the abrogation of Article 370, and added that "no power in the universe can bring it back."
Citing the BJP's stupendous show in the recent assembly polls, he said it has shown that the party is set to score a historic win again in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
He said opposition parties should introspect as to why people do not accept their claims.
