Goemkarponn Desk
PORVORIM: Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar met with top security officials from the legislature secretariat, including police officers stationed permanently in the Goa Legislative Assembly complex, a few days after the Parliament security breach.
During the meeting, possible problem areas were identified and discussed.
“Today, we had conversations. Following the event in Parliament, I called the police officers to assess current procedures and determine how to improve security,” Tawadkar stated.
The Speaker, however, declined to delve into specifics of the topics covered during the Friday discussion, but added that Home Minister Pramod Sawant, who is also the Chief Minister, will be consulted soon on the next steps.
Before the winter session starts, a new, improved security system with specific dos and don’ts will be decided upon and implemented, according to Tawadkar.
The Goa legislative assembly currently uses a double-layered security check system during sessions, with staff from the department and the Goa police checking and, if needed, frisking each guest entering the premises.at two different locations: the building’s entrance and the galleries’ entrance.
There was a huge security breach inside the Lok Sabha on Wednesday afternoon. The breach was on the 22nd anniversary of the Parliament terror attack, in which nine people, including eight security staff, were killed and India was left shocked by a strike on the symbol of democracy.
The 2001 Parliament terror attack was carried out by two banned Pakistan-based terror groups – Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed – and five terrorists were killed. Hours before today’s incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla led tributes to those killed.
The security breach also came after Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun threated an attack on this day. Delhi Police were put on alert after he vowed to “shake the very foundation of Parliament”.