New Delhi: The Monsoon Session of Parliament began on a fiery note Monday, with the Opposition launching a two-front attack on the BJP-led NDA government.
In the Rajya Sabha, Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge said US President Donald Trump’s claims of mediating the India-Pakistan ceasefire in the immediate aftermath of Operation Sindoor were “humiliating” for the country. Kharge also sought clarification on why terrorists involved in the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack had not been captured yet.
Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Opposition was being gagged and not allowed to speak.
As soon as both Houses assembled on the first day of the session, Opposition MPs stormed the well, demanding answers from the Narendra Modi-led government on various issues and seeking a discussion on Operation Sindoor.
Lok Sabha was adjourned thrice and the Rajya Sabha once amid the ruckus.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar informed the House that he had admitted a notice from BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya to discuss Operation Sindoor. The date and time will be discussed with other leaders at the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting.
He said many members have given notices seeking adjournment of proceedings under Rule 267 to discuss Operation Sindoor, but they had not been accepted. However, he allowed Kharge to speak on the matter. Attacking the government on Pahalgam, Kharge questioned why none of the terrorists behind it had been captured or killed since the 22 April attack.
“Why have the Pahalgam terrorists not been neutralised or captured after so many days and why has the American president been claiming that he has brokered peace during Operation Sindoor?” Kharge asked.
“We have supported the government unconditionally without asking any questions, only to support national interest and the army. But the government has not answered the House. The J&K L-G has admitted intelligence failure in Pahalgam and even their CDS and a defence attaché have made several sensitive revelations. We want to know,” he added.
“The American president has claimed 24 times that he has brokered peace between the two countries. How come an outsider can make such a claim? This is an insult to the nations. Why has the government compromised with the respect of the country?” he remarked.
The Leader of the House, J.P. Nadda, said the government was ready to discuss both issues. “There should be no message conveyed that the House is not ready to discuss Operation Sindoor. This is the biggest achievement after Independence,” he said.
The Union minister added that nothing would go on record except what he had said.
Also Read: 5 jets shot down in Op Sindoor, we got India-Pakistan conflict solved through trade, claims Trump
Opposition protests in Lok Sabha
In the Lok Sabha too, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed the government’s willingness to discuss the issue. He said the government was ready for discussion under the BAC and the BAC meeting would decide the agenda to be discussed.
At the BAC meeting, 16 hours have been allotted to the Lok Sabha for discussion and nine hours to the Rajya Sabha. The discussion may take place next week. “The government is ready for discussion, but they (Opposition MPs) are protesting here. It is not right to protest like this on the first day of the Monsoon session,” he said.
The House moved into an unscheduled adjournment following protests by Opposition MPs seeking Modi’s clarification on foreign policy developments in the immediate aftermath of Operation Sindoor.
Speaker Om Birla made an unsuccessful appeal to the protesting members seeking that the House be allowed to function according to procedure. He also took exception to the use of placards in the well of the House. But agitating members did not budge.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also rose to pacify members, saying the government was ready to discuss Operation Sindoor. But Rahul Gandhi, speaking to reporters outside Parliament, said he was not allowed to speak in the House. “The defence minister was allowed to speak on the issue and other government members were allowed,” he said.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi supported Rahul’s charge, questioning why the Leader of the Opposition wasn’t allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha.
While the first day of the session opened on a stormy note, BJP sources told ThePrint that the government’s strategy is to celebrate Operation Sindoor as “Vijay Utsav” as indicated by the Prime Minister’s comments ahead of the session.
Modi, speaking to the media before the start of the session, hailed Operation Sindoor as a “Vijay Utsav” (victory celebration) for the nation.
“This Monsoon Session is a ‘Vijay Utsav’,” Modi said. “The entire world has witnessed the strength of the Indian armed forces. The objective set for Operation Sindoor was achieved with 100 percent success. In just 22 minutes, our forces neutralised terrorists in their own hideouts.”
Although the government has already announced that it is ready for discussion on the cross-border strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Congress sources said the Opposition wants to corner the government on the issue of Trump’s alleged intervention.
It wants the Prime Minister to be present during the discussion, knowing Modi is scheduled to visit the Maldives and the UK this week. The government is yet to respond on whether Modi will be available when Operation Sindoor is discussed in the House.
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)