New Delhi: After a week of disruptions, Parliament is set to take up a discussion on Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam attack. The BJP‑led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Opposition are expected to field their top speakers in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.Sources said home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh and external affairs minister S. Jaishankar will speak, with indications that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may intervene to underscore the government’s record of a “robust” national security stance. Leaders of the Opposition in the two Houses, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, are likely to lead the charge against the government, along with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and others. The Opposition has framed its criticism around alleged intelligence lapses behind the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 civilians dead, and around former US President Donald Trump’s claims of mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly attacked the government’s foreign policy, asserting that India did not receive international support during Operation Sindoor and citing Trump’s statements to target the ruling alliance. On Sunday, the Congress recapped the backdrop to the debate, highlighting Trump’s assertion, reportedly made “26 times” since May 10, that he stopped Operation Sindoor by threatening to cut off trade with India, while saying the debate was long overdue but “better late than never.” Party leader Jairam Ramesh posted on X that the Lok Sabha will hold a 16‑hour debate on Pahalgam-Operation Sindoor tomorrow, with the Rajya Sabha to follow a day later, recalling that the Congress had demanded a special two‑day session immediately after Operation Sindoor was halted. He added that the terrorists directly responsible for the April 22 Pahalgam attack have not yet been brought to justice and were reportedly involved in earlier attacks in Poonch (December 2023) and in Gangagir and Gulmarg (October 2024). Ramesh said an all‑party meeting was held on April 24, chaired by the defence minister rather than the Prime Minister, as demanded, where questions on intelligence lapses were raised. He also noted that on July 14, 2025, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha publicly acknowledged the Pahalgam attack as a security failure. Citing international references, Ramesh pointed to Trump’s claims, the Pakistan Army Chief’s lunch at Trump’s invitation, remarks by US Central Command chief Gen. Michael Kurilla describing Pakistan as a “phenomenal partner” in counter‑terrorism, and recent praise for Pakistan by the US Secretary in a meeting with its Deputy PM. He further alleged that sensational claims by sections of the Indian media during Operation Sindoor, “instigated by the PM’s media managers,” in his words, undermined efforts to build a serious narrative that found more traction domestically than abroad.
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