Parliament monsoon session: Op Sindoor, Pahalgam attack on agenda today after week of disruption

Hindustan Times

2 days ago

The Monsoon Session of Parliament is set to resume on Monday, July 28, with a scheduled discussion on 'Operation Sindoor' – India's military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. The operation targeted Pakistan-based terror groups in retaliation. The session began on July 21 and ran for five days, marked by repeated disruptions, including the unexpected resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar as Vice President of India.(Sansad TV)
The session began on July 21 and ran for five days, marked by repeated disruptions, including the unexpected resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar as Vice President of India.
Operation Sindoor has emerged as a major flashpoint between the ruling BJP and the Opposition, with Opposition parties insisting on a dedicated debate, while the BJP maintained that the discussion was always planned but delayed due to procedural disruptions.
Opposition leaders have linked the April 22 terror attack to alleged intelligence failures and have also cited US President Donald Trump's claims of mediating a ceasefire to criticise the government.
Rahul Gandhi has targeted the government's foreign policy, arguing that India lacked global backing for Operation Sindoor and has used Trump's repeated mediation remarks to attack the BJP-led alliance.
The government has outright dismissed Trump's statements.
The conflict between India and Pakistan lasted four days, during which India carried out targeted strikes on terror infrastructure. Pakistan responded militarily, but eventually sought a ceasefire, after which both sides halted hostilities.
India claims that its strikes caused serious damage to several Pakistani air bases.
PM Modi has declared that India has set a 'new normal' in dealing with cross-border terrorism and will treat both terrorists and their sponsors the same.
The Monsoon Session includes 21 sittings over 32 days, starting July 21 and ending August 21. Both Houses will be adjourned on August 12 and reconvene on August 18, after the Independence Day break.
Here's what on agenda today
Defence minister Rajnath Singh is expected to start the Lok Sabha debate on Operation Sindoor on Monday. Home minister Amit Shah, external affairs minister S Jaishankar, and BJP MPs Anurag Thakur and Nishikant Dubey are also likely to participate in the discussion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to intervene in the debate in the Lok Sabha and may also do so in the Rajya Sabha. The Rajya Sabha discussion on Operation Sindoor is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, with Rajnath Singh and S Jaishankar among the ministers expected to speak. As per the Lok Sabha's listed agenda, the House will hold a 'special discussion on India's strong, successful and decisive Operation Sindoor in response to terrorist attack in Pahalgam'. In addition to key ministers and leaders like Anurag Thakur, Sudhanshu Trivedi, and Nishikant Dubey, NDA members from the seven multi-party delegations that visited over 30 world capitals after Operation Sindoor are expected to speak, including Shrikant Shinde, Sanjay Jha, and Harish Balayogi. A major uncertainty remains over whether Shashi Tharoor, who led a delegation to the US and had praised the government's response, will be selected to speak by the Congress, as his stance has strained his relationship with the party. TDP MPs Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu and GM Harish Balayogi are expected to join the Lok Sabha debate, with the party allotted 30 minutes. Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav and Rajiv Rai will also take part. Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said, 'Operation Sindoor will be debated for 16 hours in the Lok Sabha on Monday (July 28) and for 16 hours in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday (July 29),' adding that 'All issues cannot be discussed together... The opposition has raised several issues, like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar and others. We have told them that Operation Sindoor will be discussed first. We will decide which issues to discuss after that.' Leaders from the INDIA bloc will protest outside Parliament at Makar Dwar at 10.30 am on Monday against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. On July 25, several opposition MPs in the Rajya Sabha submitted Suspension of Business notices demanding a debate on the SIR issue during the Monsoon Session. The SIR in Bihar remains a point of tension, with the opposition alleging it is designed to benefit the BJP-led alliance in the upcoming state polls, while the Election Commission has maintained that the process is to ensure only eligible voters are included. Rijiju has said the government will consider the demand for a discussion on SIR later, stating that not every issue can be discussed at once and decisions will follow Parliamentary rules.
Bihar SIR, Yashwant Varma impeachment trigger disruptions: A recap
Opposition parties continued their protests in the Parliament complex over the first five days, disrupting proceedings in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha during the Monsoon Session. Their main demand was a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar.
Leaders from the INDIA bloc, including Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, staged a demonstration at the Parliament's Makar Dwar, alleging that the SIR process was disenfranchising voters.
Several opposition leaders carried placards with slogans like 'stealing of Indian Rights' and 'death of democracy' to condemn the revision exercise.
The INDIA bloc has repeatedly demanded a parliamentary discussion on the SIR issue, which has become a major point of contention during the session.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla criticised the opposition's conduct and warned about the negative impression it could leave on new MPs. He emphasised the importance of Question Hour as a key mechanism for accountability, adding that many members were frustrated at not getting a chance to speak.
Despite assurances from the Speaker that issues would be addressed as per procedure, several opposition MPs submitted adjournment notices seeking an immediate debate on the Bihar electoral roll revision.
Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee accused the BJP of influencing constitutional institutions and said, 'The Election Commission has become a political tool now, removing and appointing names based on the BJP's preferences.'
BJP MP Jagdambika Pal countered by blaming the opposition for disruptions, stating that both the government and Speaker were open to discussions through the Business Advisory Committee. 'I even appealed to Rahul Gandhi, but it seems they've decided not to let the House function,' he said.
Separately, on the opening day of the Monsoon Session, 145 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 63 in the Rajya Sabha submitted a petition seeking the impeachment of Justice Yashwant Varma, citing allegations of corruption.
The petition, filed under Articles 124, 217, and 218 of the Constitution, included signatures from leaders across parties such as Anurag Thakur, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Rahul Gandhi, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, PP Chaudhary, Supriya Sule, and KC Venugopal.
Union minister Kiren Rijiju later confirmed that the Lok Sabha would initiate proceedings to remove Justice Varma, stating, 'We shouldn't remain in any doubt, proceedings to remove Justice Yashwant Varma will begin in Lok Sabha,' and noted that all parties supported the move.
Justice Varma had earlier been relieved of his duties and repatriated to the Allahabad High Court in April, following a fire at his Delhi residence in March, during which large bundles of cash were allegedly recovered, triggering a judicial inquiry.
The Supreme Court is likely to hear Justice Varma's plea on Monday, July 28, in which he challenges the findings of the in-house inquiry committee.
The committee had found 'strong inferential evidence' linking him to the cash recovered and concluded he had 'covert or active control' over the money.
Justice Varma, however, has argued that he was not given a fair chance to respond to the allegations before the report was made public, according to ANI. His legal team has requested an urgent hearing on the matter.