Amid a raging row over AAP MP Bhagwant Mann filming the high-security Parliament House complex, the party on Friday defended the lawmaker, saying he was only trying to “show” the procedure of asking questions which did not amount to security breach.
“Bhagwant Mann was only trying to show to the people how only 20 names were picked from a draw to ask questions (during the Zero Hour)… since representatives from all areas of the country have the right to ask questions in Parliament, this lucky draw system leaves many MPs without a chance to put forth their questions,” AAP leader Ashutosh said. “Parliament cannot be run by just lucky draw,” he said.
Another senior AAP leader said, “It was an innocuous video and it was certainly avoidable. He has been told to be careful in future.” The party was of the view that the video “doesn’t compromise” the security of Parliament, he added.
In the nearly 12-minute video that he shared live on Facebook, Mann filmed his vehicle crossing security barricades and him entering Parliament on Thursday.
“I have not played with anything (security). I have never and it has never been my intent to compromise the security of Parliament. For asking questions there during Zero Hour, there is a lucky draw and only 20 questions are selected.
“People in our constituencies have elected us and sometimes they ask us why we do not raise the issue in Parliament. So, I only wanted to show people the procedure, it was like an educational thing,” Mann, MP from Punjab’s Sangrur, said on Friday.
Meanwhile, Mann, who appeared before Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan after being summoned, has tendered an unconditional apology for his controversial video, which caused an uproar in both Houses of Parliament on Friday.