Monsoon session begins on a stormy note, Op Sindoor debate sparks chaos in both Houses

New Delhi: The demand for an immediate debate on Operation Sindoor dominated the first day of Monsoon Session of Parliament on Monday with the Opposition disrupting proceedings in Lok Sabha leading to adjournment and boycotting the afternoon session of Rajya Sabha.

No business was transacted in Lok Sabha as Congress-led Opposition rushed to the Well of the House demanding suspension of business to take up discussion on Operation Sindoor and subsequent developments while The Bills for Lading Bill was passed in Rajya Sabha amid absence of Opposition.

Both Houses witnessed uproarious scenes during the day with Lok Sabha witnessing Congress MPs rushing into the Well of the House during Question Hour and Zero Hour, prompting the Chair to adjourn the proceedings twice in the morning session.

At 12 noon when the House reconvened after the first adjournment, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told the protesting MPs that the government is willing to discuss Operation Sindoor.

In Rajya Sabha, Leader of the House JP Nadda reiterated the government’s readiness for a debate while saying that no such military operation was conducted in independent India.

However, the Opposition was adamant that the discussion should start. They also demanded that Leader of Opposition in the Lower House Rahul Gandhi be allowed to speak but as it was not allowed, protest intensified and the House was adjourned till 2 pm. Similar scenes repeated at 2 pm and later at 4 pm after which the House was adjourned for the day.

Rahul told reporters outside Parliament that the "new norm" is that the opposition will not be allowed to speak in Parliament while the Defence Minister and others from the ruling side were allowed to speak. He also claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ran away from the House after addressing the media.

Rajya Sabha too witnessed protests by the Opposition forcing a ten minute adjournment during Zero Hour over their demand for an immediate discussion on Operation Sindoor and alleging that Leader of Opposition in the Upper House Mallikarjun Kharge was not allowed to complete his speech.

Congress walked out during Question Hour after their demand for an immediate discussion but other Opposition parties did not join due to coordination issues. At 2 pm, the entire Opposition walked and announced the boycott of the proceedings for the day.

At the outset, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar rejected notices by 18 Opposition MPs to discuss Operation Sindoor, Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar and India-US trade deal among others while announcing that a notice by BJP Samik Bhattacharya to discuss Operation Sindoor has been accepted.

Earlier in the House, Kharge said that a debate on Pahalgam attack, Operation Sindoor and the repeated claims made by the US President Donald Trump about having mediated the ceasefire between India and Pakistan was needed. He said nothing is known about the terrorists involved in the terror strike.

He said the entire Opposition had given unconditional support to the armed forces and also referred to a statement by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha admitting intelligence failure and remarks of the Chief of Defence Staff and the Deputy Chief of Army Staff.

“You should share with us what happened, we have given you complete and unconditional support”, he said.