Parliament security breach: Accused frustrated over joblessness, claims family
Neelam Azad, one of the five protesters apprehended for the recent security breach in Parliament, was reportedly despondent over her unemployment status. According to Azad's mother, Saraswati, the accused was highly qualified but could not find a job and was "stressed" over the matter. "She often used to say that I should just die as despite studying so much, I am unable to earn two meals," her mother told reporters.
Why does this story matter?
Two men, identified as Manoranhan D and Sagar Sharma, triggered a major security alert after they jumped from the visitors' gallery into the well of the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Azad and another intruder, Amol Shinde, were arrested outside Transport Bhawan while they were spraying smoke. Notably, the incident occurred while Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Khagen Murmu was speaking during the Zero Hour of Parliament.
Azad's background and involvement in protests
Hailing from Haryana's Jind district, Azad participated in the farmers' and wrestlers' agitation. Back in May, she was detained with wrestler Sakshee Malikkh's mother during a wrestler's protest in Delhi. She reportedly holds MA, MM.Ed and MM.Phil degrees and cleared the National Eligibility Test (NET). She had previously interviewed for a trained graduate teacher position in Delhi but was not chosen for the position despite her qualifications.
We don't know why she did that: Azad's brother
Azad's brother Ramniwas revealed that the family learned about her arrest from one of their relatives, who called him to see the TV. "She studies in Hisar and is not linked with any political party. We don't know why she did that. She came home only two days ago," he said. Furthermore, Ramniwas added that his sister had moved to Jind to prepare for competitive exams as she could not get a job in Hisar.
Family of another accused tells similar story
Shinde's mother, like Azad's mother, claimed her son was despondent as a result of his inability to clear the Army recruitment. His father also revealed that since he was too old to apply under the Agniveer scheme, the accused from Maharashtra's Latur was exploring other job options. "He has participated in recruitment drives many times in the past — in Ratnagiri, Aurangabad, Nashik," The Indian Express quoted his father as saying.
Recalling 2001 Parliament attack
Wednesday's security breach came on the 22nd anniversary of the Parliament attack in 2001. On December 13, 2001, five terrorists linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) entered the Parliament House complex and killed eight security personnel and a gardener. Following the breach on Wednesday, Parliament's security protocols have been revamped to minimize contact between MPs and visitors. Body scan machines similar to those used in airports will be installed in Parliament, along with a significant increase in security personnel.
