The Parliament security breach by four protesters who claimed to be part of a ‘Bhagat Singh Fan Club’ was a shocking and unprecedented event that exposed the vulnerability of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India’s Parliament. The protesters, in a daring act of defiance, jumped from the visitor’s gallery and set off smoke bombs inside the hallowed halls of the Lok Sabha, disrupting the parliamentary proceedings and creating chaos and confusion.

The incident, which occurred on December 14, 2023, has sent shockwaves across the nation and raised several questions about the security arrangements at the Parliament, the motives of the protesters, and the issues they wanted to highlight. Here are seven shocking facts about the Parliament security breach by Bhagat Singh Fan Club that you need to know:

1. The protesters were charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), a stringent anti-terror law. This law, typically invoked in cases of terrorism and activities that threaten the sovereignty, integrity, and security of India, underscores the severity of the breach. The protesters face a minimum of seven years of imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment under this law.
2. The protesters claimed to be part of a ‘Bhagat Singh Fan Club’, a group that idolizes Bhagat Singh, a revered freedom fighter known for his revolutionary activities during the Indian independence movement. Bhagat Singh, who was hanged by the British colonial authorities in 1931, has often been a symbol of protest and resistance. The protesters, by associating themselves with Bhagat Singh, seemed to be invoking his spirit of defiance and rebellion.
3. The protesters stated that their actions were intended to draw attention to farmers’ issues, which have been at the forefront of socio-political discourse in India for the past few years. The protesters’ dramatic act can be seen as a desperate attempt to bring these issues to the limelight and force a discussion on the same. The farmers’ issues include the demand for the repeal of three controversial farm laws that were passed by the Parliament in 2020, which the farmers allege are anti-farmer and pro-corporate, and the demand for a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.
4. The protesters managed to breach the security of the Parliament despite the presence of multiple layers of security personnel and equipment. The Parliament is guarded by the Parliament Security Service (PSS), which is a specialized unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the largest paramilitary force in India. The PSS is equipped with metal detectors, baggage scanners, CCTV cameras, and sniffer dogs. The protesters, however, managed to evade these security measures and enter the visitor’s gallery, which is located above the Lok Sabha chamber and has a seating capacity of 500 people.
5. The protesters used smoke bombs, which are devices that produce smoke as a result of a chemical reaction. Smoke bombs are usually used for signaling, screening, or diversionary purposes in military or recreational activities. The protesters used smoke bombs to create a smokescreen and obscure the vision of the security personnel and the lawmakers. The smoke from the bombs filled the air and led to a temporary halt in the proceedings of the Lok Sabha.
6. The protesters were swiftly apprehended by the security personnel and taken into custody. The security personnel also recovered a banner from the protesters, which read “Jai Kisan, Jai Bhagat Singh” (Hail Farmer, Hail Bhagat Singh). The banner expressed the solidarity of the protesters with the farmers’ movement and their admiration for Bhagat Singh. The banner also had the image of Bhagat Singh, along with his famous quote “Inquilab Zindabad” (Long Live the Revolution).
7. The incident sparked a heated debate in the Parliament and the media, with different political parties and leaders expressing their views on the breach. While some condemned the act as an attack on the democracy and the dignity of the Parliament, others sympathized with the protesters and their cause. The incident also triggered a public outcry and a demand for a thorough investigation and a review of the security arrangements at the Parliament.

The Parliament security breach by Bhagat Singh Fan Club was a shocking and unprecedented event that exposed the vulnerability of the Lok Sabha and the issues that plague the nation. It serves as a stark reminder of the lengths people can go to make their voices heard, and the urgency with which the concerns of the farmers need to be addressed.