Monsoon session: Parliament to debate Operation Sindoor; after washout week, top guns to face off
NEW DELHI: After a week of disruptions, Parliament's Monsoon session is poised to shift gears on Monday with an intense debate on the
Pahalgam terror attack
and
Operation Sindoor
, as the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition prepare to go head-to-head over national security and foreign policy issues.
Top ministers from the government and senior leaders from the opposition are expected to participate in what is being billed as a marathon 16-hour debate in both Houses, starting with the Lok Sabha on Monday, followed by the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
These discussions, sources told the news agency PTI, may extend well beyond the allotted time, given the political stakes involved.
Home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh, and external affairs minister S Jaishankar are expected to lead the government's charge during the debate.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly may intervene to highlight what the government views as its 'robust' record on national security.
On the opposition side, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge are likely to lead the charge, alongside Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav and other senior leaders from the INDIA bloc.
Their criticism has focused on alleged intelligence failures preceding the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians, and on US President Donald Trump's repeated claims of mediating between India and Pakistan.
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Rahul Gandhi has targeted the government's foreign policy, arguing that India failed to garner international backing during Operation Sindoor.
He has also cited Trump's mediation remarks as evidence of the government's diplomatic setbacks. PM Modi, however, has hailed Operation Sindoor, India's cross-border strike on terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, as a resounding success that showcased the effectiveness of the country's indigenous defence capabilities.
'India has drawn a 'new normal' in its response to Pakistan-linked terrorism, and it will not differentiate between terrorists and their sponsors,' PM Modi asserted, defending the government's firm approach in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack. India caused serious damage to several Pakistani air bases in the four-day conflict.
Meanwhile, the NDA plans to field a wide range of speakers, including ministers and MPs from the seven multi-party delegations that travelled to over 30 global capitals to explain India's position post-Operation Sindoor.
These include Shrikant Shinde (Shiv Sena), Sanjay Jha (JDU), and Harish Balayogi (TDP), among others.
A key point of interest remains whether Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who led one of the delegations to the US, will be allowed to speak during the debate. His public praise for the government's handling of the operation has reportedly created friction within his party. However, sources suggest that a way may be found for him to participate, given the significance of his role.
While the focus is shifting to national security, one unresolved issue continues to hang over the session -- the opposition's demand for a debate on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
The opposition claims the Election Commission's exercise could benefit the BJP in the upcoming Bihar polls, an allegation the EC has denied, stating the revision is aimed solely at ensuring only eligible voters are on the rolls.
Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju, speaking on July 25 after the session's first week ended in a washout, confirmed that the opposition had agreed to begin discussions on the twin issues of Pahalgam and Sindoor.
However, on the SIR issue, Rijiju reiterated the government's position: 'Every issue cannot be taken up for discussion in Parliament at once,' adding that the government will consider the demand for a separate debate in due course, as per the rules.
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