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Parliament video row: Bhagwant Mann let off with light rap

November 30, 2016 22:38 IST

A Parliamentary panel on Wednesday let off Aam Aadmi Party MP Bhagwant Mann with a light rap by recommending a day's token suspension from the Lok Sabha after holding him guilty of making a controversial video of the Parliament House complex.

The nine-member committee adopted a fresh draft report after differences had erupted on Tuesday on the "gradation of suspension" for Mann. While some had suggested that he be suspended for a day, some others said the suspension should be for a week. Others were of the view that he be let off without any penalty.

In a report adopted Wednesday and submitted to Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, the committee recommended a day's suspension and said the period since July he has not attended the House on the directions of the speaker be also included in the punishment. If the recommendation is accepted, Mann can attend the remaining period of the winter session which ends on December 16 without further missing a single day.

There was unanimity on security aspects recommended by the panel.

Mann was found guilty of filming "critical" areas of Parliament House building.

Mann, AAP MP from Sangrur, had triggered a controversy in July by live-streaming the security arrangements at the Parliament House complex on social media.

After facing flak for his act, the AAP MP had defended his move, saying he was only showing people how Parliament functioned.

He had later appeared before the committee and demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's suspension from the Lok Sabha for "compromising national security" by allowing Pakistan's spy agency ISI inside the Pathankot airbase after the terror attack. He had also sought that Modi too be summoned by the committee.

He had last week withdrawn his remarks against the Prime Minister and tendered an unconditional apology to the committee.

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