16 INDIA bloc parties write to PM Modi seeking a special session of Parliament to discuss Operation Sindoor

New Delhi: Parliamentary floor leaders of 16 allies of the INDIA bloc, including Congress, SP, DMK and Trinamool wrote a joint letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking a special session of Parliament to discuss Operation Sindoor (the letter preferred to safely refer to it as "developments following the terror attack in Pahalgam"), ceasefire announcement (while not mentioning President Trump by name), the Pahalgam killings and recent incidents of more terrorist strikes in J&K and its policy implications. However, Sharad Pawar-led NCP-SCP and Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP disengaged from the joint demand.

"There are serious questions facing the nation about the terror attack, killing of civilians in Poonch, Uri and Rajouri, the ceasefire announcement and the implications on our national security and foreign policy. We have supported the government's efforts to engage with the international community on India's position. The government has briefed foreign nations and the media, but not Parliament - keeping the people of India and their elected representatives in the dark," said the three-para letter while seeking a special session.

The joint move to set the Opposition atmospherics comes when the government stands disinclined so far to any special session for the purpose. It aims to be more as an Opposition optics in the face of the Modi blitzkrieg and BJP's tiranga yatra over Operation Sindoor amid the government roping in cross-party MPs for global outreach.


Pawar has already stated his reservation about a Parliament debate on the sensitive aspects of the military operation while AAP may write separately, seeking a session while underscoring it going solo.

The Opposition move was announced here on Tuesday at a meeting attended by some INDIA bloc MPs, including Dipender Hooda (Congress), Derek O'Brien (Trinamool), Ramgopal Yadav (SP), Sanjay Raut (SS-UBT), Manoj Jha (RJD) and a few others.

The joint letter, as per O'Brien, to the PM has been signed by Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and KC Venugopal (Congress), Akhilesh Yadav (SP), Abhishek Banerjee (Trinamol), TR Balu (DMK) and other floor leaders of the allies. He said signatures of all the MPs of these parties were being collected and would be sent to back up the letter.

Hooda said: "A special Parliament session should be called through which we can thank our forces... The government should put forth its views and have strategic discussions on all issues ranging from Operation Sindoor to the ceasefire announced by the US."

Raut said: "If a ceasefire was called on the suggestion of President Trump, then why can't a special session be held even after repeated requests from the Opposition? Should we go to President Trump for a special session?"

Manoj Jha said: "We want a special session to discuss all these issues because the government is accountable to Parliament and Parliament is accountable to the people".