New Delhi: The monsoon session of parliament is set for a stormy start as opposition parties  at the customary all-party meeting convened by the Union government on Sunday (July 20) demanded a discussion on the Pahalgam terror attack, US president Donald Trump’s continuing claims of ceasefire mediation between India and Pakistan and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in poll-bound Bihar.

The monsoon session of parliament will begin on Monday, July 21.

Following the all-party meeting which was attended by 54 MPs, Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said that the government is “ready for discussions” but did not provide any clear answers to whether the opposition’s demands will be heeded to and said that the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) will take a final decision. 

He also said that whether it is the US president or anyone else, responses can only be given in parliament when a discussion or statement is being given.

“All parties put forth their positions. From the government we noted down all their points. We have said that to ensure that the House functions properly, the government and opposition should work together with good coordination. We might be political parties of different ideologies but it is everyone's responsibility to ensure that Parliament functions properly – opposition’s as well as the government’s,” said Rijiju to reporters after the meeting. 

“Several important issues have been raised by the members asking for a discussion in parliament. We are ready for a discussion with an open heart. We follow rules and parliamentary traditions,” he added.

As the opposition raised Trump’s claims of mediating the ceasefire – he claimed it 24 times by some accounts – in the all-party meeting, along with his latest statement that “five jets” having been shot down, Rijiju said that whether it is the US president’s statement or anyone else, an answer can only be given when a discussion is held in the parliament.

“Whether it is the US President or anyone else, I cannot give an answer here as this is not the proper forum. The correct forum for an answer or a statement is when a discussion will be held in parliament and at that time all answers will be given,” said Rijiju.

“I cannot make any announcement at the moment because the demands and issues raised today by both opposition parties and the ruling alliance will now be taken up in the Business Advisory Committee (BAC). A meeting will then be held under the chairmanship of the Rajya Sabha Chairman and Lok Sabha Speaker, where a final decision will be made,” he said. 

“As for notices submitted by members, we cannot deny them. Requesting a discussion is every member's right, and we cannot refuse that,” he added.

The monsoon session will be the first parliament session since the Pahalgam terror attack, and the four-day long military conflict with Pakistan following Operation Sindoor. The opposition had made continued demands for a special session of parliament, but the government had not heeded to the demands.

“We have demanded that several important issues are raised in this session, due to which we hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation through the parliament. Those important issues are Pahalgam – the lapses that led to the attack and the statements made by the Lieutenant Governor. A lot of time has passed and the government will have to speak. The statements coming from the US President today (Saturday), raise questions on the dignity of India, the bravery of the Indian armed forces. Only the Prime Minister can respond to the statements made by the US President,” said Congress’ deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi.

Gogoi further said that the prime minister must also address concerns arising from the ongoing SIR in Bihar, as well as the two-front axis being built by China and Pakistan that have implications for Indian foreign policy.

“It will be very important for Prime Minister Modi to come to this House and put forth his views on these three subjects,” he said.

These issues were decided upon by the INDIA bloc in its virtual meeting on Saturday, July 19, attended by 24 parties. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) stayed away and said that the alliance was only for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. However, AAP MP Sanjay Singh, who attended the all-party meeting on Sunday, raised some of the same issues that were highlighted by the INDIA bloc.

“The issue I have raised on behalf of my party is that the US President is repeatedly saying that he got the ceasefire done in the name of a trade deal, the government should give clarification on this," said AAP MP Sanjay Singh.

Singh added that the government must also address the slum demolitions in Delhi, the SIR exercise in Bihar, as well as the Air India plane crash last month.

Communist Party of India MP Sandosh Kumar P. said that the “Prime Minister must come to the House and address the Pahalgam terror attack and its subsequent developments. The government did not say anything clearly.”

Biju Janata Dal MP Sasmit Patra said that he had raised the “alarming breakdown of law and order in Odisha under the BJP government.”

“There has been a disturbing rise in heinous crimes against women and children. The tragic self-immolation of a student in Balasore; who had reached out to a BJP MP, the administration and even tweeted to the Odisha’s chief minister, Union ministers, and several BJP leaders; has shaken the conscience of the nation. She was an ABVP member, yet her pleas were ignored. Just yesterday, a 15-year-old girl in Puri was set ablaze. Around 20 days ago, the Additional Commissioner of BMC was assaulted by five local BJP leaders. The recent chaos during the Puri Rath Yatra stampede is another example of this lawlessness. These issues will be strongly raised during the session,” Patra said.

During the meeting some opposition members also raised the issue of communal remarks made by Justice Shekhar Yadav and demanded that the impeachment notice against him should be taken up. 

Meanwhile, Rijiju said that the government is in the process of gathering signatures from MPs against Justice Yashwant Varma – at whose house charred currency notes were discovered – and who has filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court challenging the in-house inquiry committee’s report indicting him in the case.

"I cannot comment on any business in terms of priority because until or unless the matter is passed by the BAC (Business Advisory Committee) with approval by the Chair, it is difficult for me to make an announcement outside… The signature is underway and it has crossed 100 already,” said Rijiju.

A total of 100 signatures from MPs are required to move a motion for impeaching a judge.

A huge sum of currency notes were discovered at an outhouse of Justice Varma, when he was a Delhi high court judge, during an accidental fire at his residence in the national capital. 

A committee appointed by then Chief Justice of India Sanjeev Khanna had indicted him following which he had moved the Supreme Court.

The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.