Parliament security breach: ‘People will decide if I’m patriot or a traitor,’ says Pratap Simha
Pratap Simha said he will leave it to the gods and public to decide on the alleged "traitor" allegations made against him. The protesters who had jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber on December 13 and set off smoke canisters, had entered Parliament on passes issued on the recommendation of Simha's office.
FollowBJP Lok Sabha member Pratap Simha on Sunday speaking on the Parliament security breach case said people will ultimately decide whether he was a patriot or a traitor, during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. He stated that he would leave the accusations of being a "traitor" against him up to the gods and his fans, refusing to provide any information about the event or the investigation. The protesters who, on December 13, leaped into the Lok Sabha chamber and ignited smoke canisters did so using permits that were provided by Simha's office.
"They (people) have to give the judgement ultimately," he added in response to a query about posters that were put up branding him a "traitor". "Whether I'm a patriot or not is up to them. I let them make the final choice. Other than that, I have nothing else to say," he added.
Elaborating further, Simha said, "Whether Pratap Simha is a traitor or a patriot -- mother Goddess Chamundeshwari sitting on the hills of Mysuru, mother Goddess Cauvery who is sitting on Brahmagiri, people of Mysuru and Kodgu who have seen my work for 9.5 years and my conduct on issues related country, dharma and nationalism -- will give their verdict through votes in Lok Sabha polls to be held in April, 2024."
The Congress and some organisations had staged a protest against Simha, following the Parliament security breach incident.
Simha just said, "I have said whatever I have to. I have nothing else to say about this," when asked about the incident and whether the police had recorded his testimony. Pralhad Joshi, the minister of Parliamentary Affairs, said on Friday that Simha's statement had been recorded as part of the investigation into the alleged security breach at Parliament.
Simha, a former journalist who entered politics, is a two-term member of the BJP Lok Sabha representing the Mysore-Kodagu seat.
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