Govt agrees to debate Operation Sindoor in Parliament as Monsoon session opens

As the Monsoon session of Parliament kicks off on July 21, the government has agreed to the Opposition's demand for a debate on Operation Sindoor — India’s retaliatory strike in Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack — top sources confirmed on July 20.

However, the government has not yet committed to a separate debate on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, which has emerged as a major flashpoint ahead of the upcoming state elections.

The Monsoon session, scheduled to run from July 21 to August 21, comes amid heightened political tensions and a united front by the India bloc, which held a high-level virtual strategy meeting on Saturday. The alliance of 24 Opposition parties identified eight key issues to raise in Parliament — including the Pahalgam attack, Operation Sindoor, concerns over the Election Commission's actions in Bihar, India’s foreign policy posture, and the ceasefire remarks made by US President Donald Trump.

Prominent leaders who participated in the INDIA bloc’s coordination meeting included Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and other top Congress figures, along with Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena UBT), Sharad Pawar (NCP-SP), Abhishek Banerjee (TMC), Hemant Soren (JMM), Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), and Omar Abdullah (NC). Left parties and regional forces such as CPI, CPM, CPI(ML), VCK, RSP, Kerala Congress (M), and IUML also had key representation.

This session is particularly significant as it marks the first parliamentary sitting since the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 25 tourists and a local ponywallah lost their lives. The Indian armed forces later launched Operation Sindoor, a targeted mission across the Line of Control aimed at dismantling terror launchpads allegedly operating with Pakistani backing.

While the Opposition is gearing up for a combative session, demanding accountability and clarity on national security and electoral integrity, the government’s partial acceptance of their demands may set the tone for intense debates in the days ahead.