New Delhi: INDIA bloc parties on Tuesday rallied together to push their demand for a Special Session of Parliament in the wake of Operation Sindoor, with leaders from 16 parties writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stressing that there were “serious questions facing the nation”.
Senior opposition leaders, who held a meeting here, asserted that the session was needed to discuss a series of events, including the Pahalgam attack, followed by Operation Sindoor, US President Donald Trump’s claim of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, and the death of civilians in border areas in Pakistan shelling.
The leaders said they stood with the government after the Pahalgam attack, and through Operation Sindoor, and they should now accept their demand for a special session.
“There are serious questions facing the nation about the terror attack, killing of civilians in Poonch, Uri and Rajouri, the ceasefire announcements, and the implications on our national security and foreign policy. We have supported the government’s efforts to engage with the international community on India’s position,” opposition leaders said in a joint letter.
“The government has briefed foreign nations and the media, but not Parliament-keeping the people of India and their elected representatives in the dark. Therefore, we urge you to convene a special session of Parliament immediately upon the return of the all-party delegations,” they said.
Congress’ Jairam Ramesh and Deepender Hooda, Trinamool Congress’ (TMC) Derek O’Brien, Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD) Manoj Jha, Samajwadi Party’s (SP) Ramgopal Yadav, and Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut attended the meeting.
“Sixteen parties have written a letter to the prime minister demanding a special session of Parliament. The government is responsible to Parliament, Parliament is responsible to people,” O’Brien told reporters after the meeting.
Opposition leaders said the letter would be sent to the Prime Minister’s Office soon.
O’Brien added that the decision to make a joint effort to demand a special session was made by the presidents of the respective parties, and not just the Parliamentary Party leaders.
Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Rajya Sabha Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge of the Congress, Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party (SP), Abhishek Banerjee of the TMC, T R Baalu of the DMK, and Arvind Savant of the Shiv Sena (UBT) are among the signatories.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal, the National Conference, the CPI(M), the IUML, the CPI, the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), and the JMM, among others, are also among those who signed the letter. The DMK could not join the meeting as it coincided with Karunanidhi’s birth anniversary.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will write a separate letter to the prime minister raising the same demand.
While the Nationalist Congress Party (SP) had earlier said it did not have any demand for a special session of Parliament, Raut said he will talk to NCP leaders over the issue.
“Sharad Pawar sahab is also with us. This letter has signatures of floor leaders… Supriya Sule ji is out of the country. I will talk to him when I go to Mumbai,” he said.
Sharing a copy of the letter on X, Jairam Ramesh said the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha had written to the prime minister to call a special session of Parliament on May 10.
“Such a session has become all the more necessary and urgent following the revelations of the CDS (Anil Chauhan) in Singapore the day before yesterday. It would have been more appropriate and in keeping with the finest of our democratic traditions if the information revealed in Singapore had first been shared in an all-party meeting or in a Parliament session, or in a briefing in New Delhi.
“President Trump and his colleagues continue to insist that they stopped Operation Sindoor using trade as an instrument of coercion. They have also repeatedly talked of nuclear escalation. The PM has maintained a deafening silence on President Trump’s claims,” Ramesh said.
Meanwhile, evidence mounts of China being embedded in the Pakistani military establishment at various levels — the same China to whom Modi had given a public clean chit on June 19, 2020, he said.
“India is now being bracketed with Pakistan internationally. The Pahalgam terrorists, who, according to some reports, had been involved in three earlier terror attacks in the past eighteen months, have still not been brought to justice,” Ramesh said.
Congress leader Hooda said the party and all opposition parties extended support to the government.
“We have raised the demand for a special session, we said it is important. All parties will be able to thank the armed forces, and the government can present facts… What are the efforts being made to isolate Pakistan and end terrorism… What is the way forward? We should debate it in Parliament,” he said.
Ramgopal Yadav said people of India are being kept in the dark.
“It is important to call a session, you are telling the whole world, but keeping Parliament and the people of India in the dark,” he said.
“On the diplomatic front, Modi has been visiting different countries for so many years. His so-called friend, Trump, announced the ceasefire… These are issues of concern. If people feel we were forced, then there should be an immediate ceasefire. Trump’s announcement should be discussed,” he said, referring to US President Donald Trump claiming that he used trade pressure to stop Operation Sindoor.
Several Opposition parties have been demanding a special session of Parliament since the Pahalgam terror attack. The demand was also raised in an all-party meeting held to inform the lawmakers about Operation Sindoor.
Trinamool Congress has suggested that the session should be held in June, after the multi-party delegations that have travelled to different countries to convey India’s stand against terrorism return to the country.
Operation Sindoor, India’s military response to the April 22 attack in Pahalgam in Kashmir that left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead.
