Was allowing ISI access to Pathankot not a threat, asks Mann

New Delhi, July 25 (IANS) Countering the criticism over his Parliament video, Aam Aadmi Party MP Bhagwant Mann on Monday asked if giving access to Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) officers to the Pathankot airbase by the Modi government was right.

“Modi ji ISI ke officers ko lekar Pathankot me ghuma rahe the ki bana lo jo video banani hai. Kya usse desh ki suraksha ko khatra nahi hai (Did Prime Minister Modi's allowing ISI officers into Pathankot airbase not pose a threat to national security)?” Mann told CNN-News18 TV channel.

Mann has been accused of putting Parliament House's security in danger by putting up a video clip on social media of his journey from home to Parliament House and the security checks.

He was on Monday barred by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan from attending the House till a nine-member committee formed to look into the issue submits its report and the issue is resolved.

The Lok Sabha member from Punjab's Sangrur constituency said that he had no intention of putting Parliament House's security in peril.

“I will abide by the honourable Speaker's decision but I have already presented my case. And I still assert that I had no intentions to put Parliament's security in danger,” he said.

He said that he only wanted to “tell the public how their questions are taken up through lucky draw”.

“I did not show any secret entry gate to Parliament. Whatever is in my video is shown almost on a daily basis on television,” he added.

Mann said that all the political parties speaking against him are trying to defame his party in view of the Punjab assembly elections.

“The Punjab elections are near. They are all afraid of the Aam Aadmi Party and trying to bring a bad name to it by various means,” he said.