The Lok Sabha on Monday, July 28, will hold a discussion on Operation Sindoor, India's military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Union minister Kiren Rijiju said the Business Advisory Committee had taken the decision to hold a special discussion on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
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He said while the Opposition wanted to address several issues, it was agreed that the debate on Operation Sindoor would be held first.
The Opposition parties, including the Congress, had written to the government demanding a discussion on Operation Sindoor before the commencement of the Parliament's Monsoon Session.
Here are the key points about the Operation Sindoor debate set to be held in Parliament.
Monsoon session debate on Operation Sindoor: Top updates
- Operation Sindoor will be discussed for 16 hours in the Lok Sabha on Monday, and for the same duration in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
- During the discussion, the Opposition might seek the government's clarification on United States President Donald Trump's repeated claims of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, a key issue which has been raised by them multiple times.
- The debate in Lok Sabha on Monday will likely be initiated by Defence minister Rajnath Singh, news agency PTI reported.
- Union home minister Amit Shah, external affairs minister S Jaishankar, and Bharatiya Janata Party MPs Anurag Thakur and Nishikant Dubey are expected to participate in the discussion.
- Reports indicated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may use the much-anticipated debate to turn up the heat on the Opposition. However, there has been no official confirmation on the development.
- TDP MPs Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu and GM Harish Balayogi might participate in the discussion, with the party having been allotted 30 minutes to speak, PTI quoted sources as saying.
- From the Opposition benches, LoP Rahul Gandhi, Congress leaders Gaurav Gogoi, Manish Tewari, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, NCP’s Supriya Sule, and Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee will be speakers among others.
- Meanwhile, the floor leaders of the Opposition INDIA bloc will meet at 10 am on Monday for a discussion on the strategy for the second week of the monsoon session.
- The Opposition has repeatedly demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi be present during the debate. Modi was on a two-nation visit last week.
- Rijiju has, before the debate, requested the Opposition “not to stall the House”, with the first week of the Monsoon session being marred with adjournments and discussions. “It's a loss for the country if Parliament doesn’t function,” Rijiju said.
- NDA leaders who participated in the multi-party delegations on Operation Sindoor, which travelled to different countries, are also expected to take part in the debate.