Pahalgam attack debate timing sparks uproar in both Houses of Parliament

Time of India

6 days ago

New Delhi: The opening day of the monsoon session on Monday saw uproar in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, with repeated disruptions over the Opposition's demand for an immediate discussion on the
Pahalgam attack
and
Operation Sindoor
.
In the Lok Sabha, proceedings were adjourned twice in the first half as Opposition members trooped into the Well, shouting slogans for an urgent debate. Speaker Om Birla's repeated appeals to allow Question Hour failed, forcing adjournments till noon and then till 2 pm. Parliamentary affairs minister
Kiran Rijiju
assured members that the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) would decide the debate schedule in the afternoon. Defence minister Rajnath Singh added, "I assure the parliamentarians, whenever the Speaker allots time, we are ready to participate in the discussions they want."
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Later, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi told the media he was not allowed to speak in the House. "The defence minister is allowed to speak, but Opposition members, including me, are not allowed. This is a new approach... Convention states that if people from the government side can speak, then we should also be given space," he said. BJP MP Aparajitha Sarangi dismissed the charge as "totally baseless," saying Gandhi would get his turn when a structured discussion is initiated.
Some Opposition MPs expressed concern that the government would use the debate to glorify Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the armed forces for Operation Sindoor while indulging in Pakistan-bashing. While the government indicated a 16-hour debate next week-after PM Modi's return from a foreign tour-the Congress wanted it scheduled as early as Tuesday.
The Congress leadership faced internal differences over strategy. While it had demanded in Sunday's all-party meeting that the PM must reply to the debate, other Opposition parties like RJD preferred to raise different issues this week. It was decided that on Tuesday, the Opposition would also highlight concerns over the special intensive revision (SIR) of Bihar's voter rolls and stage a protest outside Parliament.
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In the Rajya Sabha, similar scenes played out with sloganeering and ruckus over the same demand. Leader of the House JP Nadda stressed that the government was "fully prepared to discuss Operation Sindoor and all aspects of it will be placed before the country and the world."
Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge demanded an immediate discussion under Rule 267, saying, "The government should tell us about Pahalgam and Operation Sindoor."
Some MPs, including RJD's Manoj Jha, also sought a debate on the voters' list revision in Bihar.