Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, July 21: The Government has agreed to a 16-hour discussion on “Operation Sindoor” and the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in the Lok Sabha, an issue on which the opening day of the monsoon session of Parliament on Monday witnessed a day-long ruckus from the opposition benches.
Official sources said the discussion on Operation Sindoor and Pahalgam was expected to be taken up next week even as the opposition insisted that it should start this week itself and Prime Minister Narendra Modi must reply. At the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee, sources said government representatives noted that PM Modi was leaving on a foreign visit this week, and a debate when he is present in the House can be possible only next week.
Opposition members protested that the government’s agenda for this week did not mention their demand for a debate on the issue. They said the home minister and the defence minister should also be present. Some Opposition members also called for a debate on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar and the situation in Manipur.
Earlier, the Lok Sabha session had to be adjourned for the day on Monday at the fourth break-offs after a stormy start as opposition members created ruckus demanding a discussion on Operation Sindoor, despite assurance from the treasury benches to hold a comprehensive discussion on the subject at a later stage.
While the Rajya Sabha recorded routine debate and discussions and was adjourned at around 4.30 pm, the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day soon after reassembling for the fourth time at 4 pm.
As soon as the House reconvened at 4 p.m. after the third adjournment, Dilip Saikia, who was in the Chair, urged members to allow a bill on readjustment of Goa Assembly seats to be taken up. However, the Opposition continued raising slogans over its demand for a discussion on Operation Sindoor, under which Indian armed forces carried out attacks on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
The House had earlier met at 2 pm after the second adjournment, when the Chair appealed to the Opposition to let the House function; however, the proceedings were adjourned till 4 pm due to continuous ruckus.
Earlier in the day, Speaker Om Birla assured the Opposition MPs that the government wants to hold a comprehensive discussion on the topics raised by the Opposition and therefore they should take part in the Question Hour and Zero Hour at 11 am and 12 pm respectively.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also stood up in the House to assure the MPs that the government was ready to hold a long discussion on all issues that the Speaker gives a nod to. “The government is ready to discuss any topic the opposition wants. Whatever time they need to discuss, the government is ready to answer all questions,” Singh said in Lok Sabha.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also appealed to the Opposition to put forth their demand during a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC), which was scheduled at 2.30 pm in the day. “The government is ready to reply to all the issues that the Speaker agrees to at the BAC meeting. But to raise slogans and not let the House function on the first day of the Monsoon session is unacceptable,” Rijiju said in the House.
As the Opposition MPs carried on with their protest in the Well of the House, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who was in the Chair at that moment, urged them to take their seats with an assurance that the Speaker would allow them to raise all matters that they intended to discuss. Pal also appealed to Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the lower house, to let Zero Hour function.
“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.
The Opposition members insisted soon after the obituary references at 11 am to take up a discussion on Operation Sindoor. Birla said that he was ready to allow the MPs to raise all issues, including Operation Sindoor, after the end of the Question Hour. “I will allow you to raise all issues after Question Hour. The House will function according to rules and regulations. I cannot allow sloganeering and raising of placards,” he said.
“Honourable members, this is Question Hour. We must try to maintain high parliamentary standards. We must try to fulfil the hopes and expectations of the people who have elected us and debate and discuss important issues of the country. Go outside the House for sloganeering. You want a discussion on Operation Sindoor, I will allow it after Question Hour. The government is ready to reply to all issues,” he said.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan criticised Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for “running away” from discussion in the House. “We want to run the House… This is not the personal drawing room of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. Everyone will have to stay within the rules. They are themselves running away from the discussion, because they are more interested in supporting Pakistan. They are more interested in helping the opposition forces of India. That is why they do not want to speak in the Parliament responsibly. They can hold discussions on any topic, it will be answered,” the Union Minister said.