New Delhi: The Union government has agreed to a discussion in parliament on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor next week but is yet to specify a date when the discussion will take place. This as the monsoon session got off to a stormy start on Monday (July 21) after opposition members demanded a discussion in the House leading to repeated adjournments in the Lok Sabha. 

The treasury benches, on the other hand, said that they are ready for a discussion on all subjects.

The Wire has learnt that during the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting, the government agreed to a discussion on Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor which is to be held next week, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be travelling to the United Kingdom and Maldives this week. 

“He should have addressed the nation on the Pahalgam attack on the first day. There should have been a discussion after his statement. Instead, he has decided to skip the first week of Parliament because of his foreign trips. What message does this send to the Indian troops and family members of the deceased?” said Congress’ deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi.

The opposition had demanded a discussion on the issues in the all-party meeting held on Sunday. However, Gogoi said that the subjects were excluded from Monday’s listed business as well as the agenda of the business advisory committee (BAC) meeting held on Monday afternoon.

“Further salt was rubbed into the wounds of grieving family members when the BJP government completely excluded Pahalgam attack from the listed business for today and the agenda of the business advisory committee. Why schedule foreign trips when Parliament is in session and especially when the country wants to know how Pahalgam happened?” said Gogoi.

Earlier in the day, both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha saw heated exchanges as the opposition demanded a discussion on both these issues. There were three adjournments in Lok Sabha through the course of the day as opposition members raised loud protests, while treasury benches said they were ready for a discussion on all issues.

Union minister for parliamentary affairs Kiren Rijiju in the Lok Sabha, said, “The government is bringing it as business for discussion. But they are protesting in the well of the House. All issues will be discussed in the BAC. Creating an uproar on the first day of the monsoon session is not correct. The government is ready for an open discussion. We welcome it. But don’t create an uproar.”

BJP MP Jagdimbika Pal who was chairing the Lok Sabha asked members to return to their seats, and said Speaker Om Birla would allow them to discuss all matters they wanted to raise.

“I appeal to the leader of opposition, I appeal to Rahul Gandhi to let the House take up Zero Hour. People of the country are watching the proceedings and seeing that the government is ready to discuss all issues, but the opposition does not want the House to function,” he said.

When the House was adjourned till 2 PM, leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi said to reporters that he was not being allowed to speak.

“In the House, the government's people are allowed to speak, but if the opposition wants to say something, they are not permitted. I am the Leader of the Opposition, it is my right to speak in the House, but I am not allowed to speak ever. This is a new approach,” Gandhi told reporters outside.

In the Rajya Sabha, leader of opposition and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge raised the lapses in the Pahalgam terror attack as well as the continued statements made by US President Donald Trump that he had mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan and demanded a statement from Modi.

“I have given notice in the House as per the rule 267 regarding the situation following the Pahalgam terrorist attack and Operation Sindoor. The Pahalgam terrorist attack took place on April 22, and the terrorists who carried it out have neither been caught nor killed to date,” Kharge said. 

“It has been acknowledged by Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha himself that there was a lapse in Pahalgam. We had extended unconditional support to the government to maintain unity in the country and to strengthen the army. In such a situation, we want to know from the government what the complete situation is?” he asked.

In response, leader of the House, and Union minister J.P. Nadda said that BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya had already given a notice under Rule 167 for a discussion on Operation Sindoor, which had been accepted and the timing will be decided by the Business Advisory Committee.

"Through this House, the message should not go out to the nation that the government is unwilling to discuss Pahalgam and Operation Sindoor. We will definitely discuss it, every aspect of Operation Sindoor will be presented before the country and the world. Since independence, no such operation has ever been carried out like the one conducted under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi,” said Nadda.

In his address at the beginning of the session, Modi lauded all political parties for uniting in the diplomatic outreach following Operation Sindoor, but did not provide any further answers on the status of the investigation or taking up the opposition’s demand for a discussion in parliament.

“The brutal atrocities in Pahalgam and the mass killings of innocent civilians by terrorists drew the attention of the entire world. In those difficult times, rising above party lines, representatives from across India, from various parties and states, came together and reached out to the international community,” Modi said.

“We traveled to many countries, speaking in one voice, and launched a united and effective campaign to expose the true face of terrorism and unmask Pakistan before the world. It was a moment when national interest took precedence over political differences. Today, I want to wholeheartedly commend all the parties for their unity and commitment to this important cause,” he added.

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