Lok Sabha Begins Debate on 'Operation Sindoor' After Pahalgam Attack; Rajnath Singh Calls It a Historic Response

Delhi (India) July 28: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh gives the opening comments in Parliament before a special discussion on "Operation Sindoor" begins in the Lok Sabha. The operation is India's military reaction to the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The attack took place on April 22. It killed 26 people, primarily tourists.

Rajnath Singh Leads with Strong Opening Remarks
Rajnath Singh praises the "brave sons of India who displayed valour in the battlefield" during his speech. He defines Operation Sindoor as an "effective, decisive demonstration of our policy against terror" and a "historic military action."

He added, “before executing Operation Sindoor, our forces studied every aspect and chose the option that would cause maximum damage to the terrorists.”
On Tuesday, a similar debate will start in the Rajya Sabha. Each home has been given 16 hours to have this particular conversation.

The Lok Sabha's List of Business for Monday says, "Special Discussion on India's strong, successful and decisive 'Operation Sindoor' in response to terrorist attack in Pahalgam".

Debate Delayed Due to Opposition Protests
The lower House was adjourned three times before the debate could start because of opposition protests. The discussion was originally set for noon. Key leaders from the ruling NDA and the opposition are expected to take part in a high-stakes debate in Parliament. The debate starts  after a week of disruptions since the Monsoon Session began on July 21.

BJP MPs Anurag Thakur and Nishikant Dubey, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are also anticipated to speak during the session.
Opposition parties are asking for a targeted conversation about India's military response to the Pahalgam incident. Additionally, they also call on the government to address US President Donald Trump's constant claims. Trump claims that he helped in mediating an agreement between India and Pakistan to end tensions.

Despite the opposition's insistence that the Prime Minister attend the debate, his foreign visit and parliamentary interruptions caused the discussion to be postponed. The government explains that the discussion was just postponed, not rejected.

Tharoor Refuses to Oppose Govt, Calls Operation a Success
According to sources, Shashi Tharoor has reportedly refused to take part in the debate when asked by the Congress leadership. He claims that he was unable to comply with the party line that attacks the government for Operation Sindoor. 

He says clearly his belief that Operation Sindoor was a success. Shashi Tharoor had been contacted by the Deputy Leader or the office of the Leader of the Opposition. They ask him to address the Lok Sabha on Operation Sindoor. However, Tharoor made it clear that he could not break from his viewpoint. He said that he thought the operation went well and would talk as such.

India has stated that it was at the request of Islamabad that "direct contact" between the directors general of military operations (DGMOs) of the two countries happened. The talks halted the shooting and military actions directed at Pakistan.