The Indian Parliament building.
Credit: PTI File Photo
New Delhi: After a week-long washout, Parliament is all set to return to work on Monday with a debate on Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor in Lok Sabha even as some Opposition parties are expected to raise noise on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar electoral rolls.
Top guns on both sides like Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav and Trinamool Congress’ Abhishek Banerjee are likely to speak in Lok Sabha during the debate.
Singh is expected to be the first speaker and he will spell out the contours of Operation Sindoor and subsequent developments, including the circumstances of the ceasefire and claims of US President Donald Trump that he brokered the de-escalation.
All eyes will be on Singh on whether he would reveal the details of fighter aircraft India lost in the military confrontation, an issue on which the Opposition has been insisting that the government clean.
Similarly, it will be keenly watched whether Congress would list Shashi Tharoor as a speaker, as he is at loggerheads with his party over his endorsement of the Modi government on the issue and leading a delegation to the US and other countries.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to intervene in the 'Special Discussion on India's Strong, Successful and Decisive Operation Sindoor in Response to the Terrorist Attack in Pahalgam for which 16 others have been allocated. The debate in Rajya Sabha will start on Tuesday where also 16 hours is earmarked.
The ruling BJP would be highlighting the Indian military's successful dismantling of terror infrastructure in Pakistan, including Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters in Bahawalpur and hitting for the first time the Pakistani side of Punjab since the 1971 war.
The party would also try to corner the Congress by highlighting the inner-party differences over its MPs participating in the multi-party delegations sent by the government.
The Opposition I.N.D.I.A bloc has convened a meeting of its floor leaders in Parliament on Monday morning to finalise its strategy during the discussion.
It comes at a time Trinamool Congress has made it clear that 'SIR' is their top-most priority while Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday said that the Opposition has agreed to the debate on Operation Sindoor from Monday.
The Opposition would be highlighting that the terrorists involved in April 22 strike are yet to be caught, intelligence failure and that India appeared isolated in the international community as none has come out in open support of New Delhi after Operation Sindoor.
The I.N.D.I.A speakers will also seek to put the government on the mat over Trump's assertions, made at least 25 times since May 10, on him brokering the ceasefire after threatening that there will be no trade deal. They would ask the government to come clean on the issue.
The Opposition will also highlight that the China-Pakistan axis creates concerns for India and Modi government's alleged failure to anticipate it and take counter actions.