Parliament is set for an intense 16-hour debate on ‘Operation Sindoor’, India’s retaliatory strikes following the Pahalgam terror attack, with Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi asserting that the government must “tell the truth” during today’s session. The discussion, expected to span both Houses, comes amidst heightened political temperatures and pointed questions from the Opposition.
Gogoi, speaking to reporters, confirmed the Congress would be submitting its list of speakers to the Speaker’s Office, emphasising the public’s right to know the full facts behind Operation Sindoor. He sidestepped queries regarding senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram’s contentious remarks, where the former Union Minister stated there was “no proof that the Pahalgam attackers came from Pakistan,” deferring to Chidambaram for further elaboration. The Congress MP also highlighted a petition signed by party MPs in the Lok Sabha concerning issues surrounding Justice Verma and related media questions, stating the government needs to clarify its stance on the raised concerns.
The marathon debate will see Defence Minister Rajnath Singh opening the discussion in the Lok Sabha, with Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and BJP MPs Anurag Thakur and Nishikant Dubey also slated to participate. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to intervene in the Lok Sabha debate and may address the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. This follows persistent demands from the Opposition for the Prime Minister’s direct response, especially in light of President Donald Trump’s repeated claims of mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan post the Pahalgam incident.
The INDIA alliance is preparing for a critical engagement, with Samajwadi Party leaders Akhilesh Yadav and MP Rajiv Rai representing their party, while TDP MPs Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu and GM Harish Balayogi will speak for their allotted 30 minutes. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju confirmed the schedule, underlining that the ‘Operation Sindoor’ discussion would take precedence over other matters, including the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, stating, “All issues cannot be taken up at once. The priority is to debate India’s response to terrorism.”
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