Fiery Op Sindoor debate in Parliament today, Shashi Tharoor unlikely to speak
Tharoor's public support for the government's stand and the pause in hostilities had led to repeated exchanges with party colleagues critical of the government.The ruling BJP-led NDA and opposition parties are set to field their top leaders for the discussions in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are expected to present the government's position on key issues. While there is no official confirmation yet, indications suggest that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may also step in.It remains to be seen who will open the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor debate for the opposition if the chair invites anti-BJP parties to begin.While Rahul Gandhi is seen as a possible starter, he has previously allowed others, like his deputy Gaurav Gogoi during the 2023 no-confidence motion, to initiate the debate.The government and Opposition agreed to a 16-hour debate in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor on July 25. The discussion will focus on the government's response to the April 22 attack, which killed 26 civilians.Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, have criticised the government for alleged intelligence failures and questioned India's international support, especially in light of US President Donald Trump's claims of mediating between India and Pakistan, which the government has denied.- EndsTune InMust Watch
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United News of India
29 minutes ago
- United News of India
No US Prez role in halting India's military action during OP Sindoor: Jaishankar
New Delhi, July 30 (UNI) Foreign Minister S Jaishankar today reiterated that US President Donald Trump had no role in stopping India's military operation against Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha while resuming the discussion on 'India's strong, successful, and decisive Operation Sindoor in response to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam,' Jaishankar said there was no conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump to halt the military action. He added, 'There was no telephonic conversation between the two leaders from April 22 to June 16.' Rejecting opposition allegations of diplomatic failure during Operation Sindoor, the Foreign Minister stated that Indian diplomacy was perfectly on track given that the BRICS summit condemned the Pahalgam terrorist attack. 'The BRICS countries condemned the conspirators behind the Pahalgam attack and cross-border terrorism, whereas in the BRICS summit statement after the Mumbai attacks, cross-border terrorism was not mentioned,' he said. He also highlighted that Germany, France, Russia, and the European Union condemned the Pahalgam attack. Jaishankar informed that the United Nations Security Council issued a statement condemning the Pahalgam terrorist attack on April 25, when Pakistan was still a member of the Council and India was not a member of the global body. Praising the valour of Indian armed forces during Operation Sindoor, he said the military struck terrorist hideouts in Bahawalpur and Muridke with precision. 'These were strongholds of terrorism in Pakistan. Several Pakistani airports were also targeted. This was a major success of Operation Sindoor,' he said. Addressing those demanding proof of the Operation's success, he suggested watching videos on YouTube showing terrorists' funerals after they were killed, which would reveal the nature of the Indian Army's action. Acknowledging the closeness between Pakistan and China, Jaishankar said both countries have come closer over time, not overnight. Referring to incidents during Congress governments, he pointed out that Pakistan-China relations have had moments of proximity in the past as well. Taking a swipe at former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, the Foreign Minister recalled that during the Indus Waters Treaty, Nehru was more concerned about Pakistani farmers than Indian farmers. He said Nehru had stated in the Lok Sabha that the water agreement would benefit farmers in West Punjab, which was then part of Pakistan. Jaishankar also appreciated the role of Members of Parliament in various all-party delegations sent to different countries to clarify India's position on Operation Sindoor. He mentioned that India's delegation visited 33 countries, with MPs like Shashi Tharoor, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Sanjay Jha, Supriya Sule, and Srikant Shinde effectively presenting India's viewpoint to the world. UNI AJ SSP
Indian Express
29 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Kharge remark sparks Dalit CM buzz amid Siddaramaiah vs Shivakumar play
A statement made by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) chief, Mallikarjun Kharge, 83, about how he lost out on becoming the Karnataka chief minister in 1999 has stirred the political pot and set off speculation on whether the state would see its first-ever Dalit CM in the near future. Last Sunday, addressing a BLDE Education Trust event in Vijayapura, Kharge recalled how he had not allowed a loss of opportunity to become the CM in 1999 to halt his journey but soldiered on for the Congress. 'As the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader (in 1994-1999), I made a lot of efforts to bring in Congress government… but as soon as the (Congress) government came to power (in 1999), S M Krishna became the CM. He (Krishna) had become the (state) party president only four months earlier. All my services were in vain,' he said. 'What I am trying to say is that even if we face difficulties we must continue to work without bad intentions… I have gone through these things and from being a block president, I have now become AICC president. I did not go after positions,' Kharge said. His statement came at a time amid signs that the Congress might be heading for a crisis in Karnataka by this year-end — when the party-led government completes 30 months or half of its tenure — due to a possibility of CM Siddaramaiah being nudged by the AICC to make way for his deputy D K Shivakumar in his post. There are also talks in Congress circles that if there is any crisis with regard to the supposed change of guard, then the party leadership may opt for a 'neutral face' like Kharge, which would also fulfil a long-pending demand for a first-ever Dalit CM in Karnataka. While state home minister G Parameshwara, a Dalit leader, was earlier considered a possible CM candidate amid a standoff between the CM and the Deputy CM, recent ED searches in premises linked to him over alleged links to an actress accused of gold smuggling may have stymied his bid. The AICC may have recently sent out some signals to indicate possible replacement of the CM at the mid-way mark, with AICC general secretary in charge of the state, Randeep Singh Surjewala, holding one-on-one meetings with party MLAs and ministers over several days. Kharge's remark amid this churn that the Congress leadership would decide on a change of guard also fuelled this possibility. On July 10, Siddaramaiah said in Delhi that he would be the CM for a full term, apparently responding to the recent undermining of his authority by party functionaries. 'A few days ago, I stated that I would be the CM for a full tenure of five years. Why did I say it? Is the CM's position lying vacant? Why is there a discussion on this?' he asked. Kharge's Vijayapura statement has been seen as an acknowledgement of an unfulfilled ambition. 'It (the possibility of Kharge's return to state politics) cannot be ruled out completely although Kharge ji is in national politics and set for higher roles in Delhi,' a state Congress leader said. Shivakumar, who had a few years ago welcomed a Kharge-as-CM proposal, said now that there was 'nothing wrong in Kharge expressing his feelings', adding 'He is a senior party leader and has worked hard for it… Everyone is entitled to his opinion'. Parameshwara echoed his views. 'Kharge is a senior leader in our party and national politics. Making comments on him is not right. He is competent to hold all kinds of positions; he has experience, and he has been in politics for about 50 years. If he says something, interpreting it wrongly is not correct,' he said. 'As the AICC president he is the one who decides as to who should be the CM. If he wants to come back to state politics, no one should interpret it wrongly.' State social welfare minister H C Mahadevappa, a Dalit leader close to Siddaramaiah, said, 'As a senior leader he (Kharge) has all the qualities to occupy any constitutional post, and our wish is that he should get an opportunity whenever there is one.' Mahadevappa said the Congress has made Dalit leaders such as Damodaram Sanjivayya, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Jagannath Pahadia and Ram Sundar Das the CM in other states. 'When the time comes the party will take a decision and everyone will abide by it,' he added. Kharge's son Priyank Kharge, who is IT minister in Siddaramaiah Cabinet, said his father would decide his political future on his own terms. 'With the blessings of the people of Kalaburagi and Karnataka, he is in the post that was once occupied by Subhas Chandra Bose and Gandhi ji. Whatever decisions have to be taken on his political future, will be decided by him. He has earned the respect and reputation. He has a good relationship with the high command. Whatever he decides, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi will automatically accept it,' Priyank said. Karnataka has never had a Dalit CM, so the appointment of a Dalit face for the job could tie in with the Congress's campaign at the national level to project its credentials for the cause of Dalits, backward classes and minorities. While there has been a demand from the Dalit groups for the appointment of a Dalit CM, all the three leading players, Congress, BJP and JD(S), have passed up many opportunities to do so by sticking to the dominant caste members for the top post. Besides 1999, the Congress did not pick a Dalit CM in 2004, 2013 and most recently, after winning the 2023 polls. The JD(S), currently a BJP ally, had earlier claimed that it was willing to appoint Kharge as the CM in 2004 and 2018 when it was in alliance with the Congress, but the latter preferred other leaders – N Dharam Singh, a Rajput in 2004; H D Kumaraswamy, a Vokkaliga and son of JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda, in 2018. Parameshwara was in the race to be CM in 2013, but was overlooked on account of Siddaramaiah enjoying the support of a majority of the Congress MLAs and the fact that the former lost his own election. Kharge was not in the CM race then as he had already been elected to the Lok Sabha in 2009. In the 2023 polls, when the Congress bagged 135 of 224 seats, the party reportedly garnered 'overwhelming support' of Dalits, tribals and backward classes. Of 51 SC/ST seats, the Congress won 36, whose MLAs would play a significant role in any CLP decision. In the past Kharge has often deflected questions about the first Dalit CM by insisting that he has never sought the post for his caste but on the basis of his seniority and public service. 'I have never sought the CM's post as a Dalit. If people are ashamed to accept me as a leader, let them consider me a worker. I would welcome it if the party considers me for the top post based on my seniority and not my caste,' Kharge had said in 2018 when the possibility of a Dalit CM was raised by then CM Siddaramaiah ahead of the poll results. The Congress had then lost the polls. Ahead of the 2023 polls, Shivakumar, broaching the issue, had said: 'Kharge is an asset to the nation and the state. I will abide by any decision that the party takes. He has made many sacrifices for the party… From being a block leader he has become the AICC president. This can happen only in the Congress. I will work with happiness if he is made the CM.' Shivakumar's statement was then seen as an attempt to checkmate Siddaramaiah. On his part, Siddaramaiah, who belongs to the OBC Kuruba group, has often identified himself as a Dalit to woo the community. He is often considered the 'second best alternative' to a Dalit CM by sections of the community.
The Hindu
29 minutes ago
- The Hindu
No third-party intervention in Indo-Pak ceasefire: Jaishankar in Rajya Sabha
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday (July 30, 2025) categorically said there was no third-party intervention in bringing about a ceasefire with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, asserting that the halting of the military action was also not linked to trade as claimed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Intervening in the special discussion on Operation Sindoor in the Rajya Sabha, Mr. Jaishankar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the U.S. President did not have any phone calls between April 22, when the Pahalgam terror attack took place, and June 16. The Opposition has been attacking the government on claims made by Mr. Trump on mediation in halting hostilities between India and Pakistan by using the threat of trade. He said India will not tolerate any cross-border terrorism and has responded to Pakistan by carrying out Operation Sindoor and will continue to do so. Noting that the Pahalgam terror attack was absolutely unacceptable, he said a red line was crossed by Pakistan, and there had to be accountability and justice. 'Blood and water will not flow together,' he said, providing reasons for India's decision to suspend the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan. Mr. Jaishankar said the Modi Government has corrected the wrongs of Nehru's policies by suspending the Treaty. The Treaty signed by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was not to buy peace, but for appeasement, he added. The External Affairs Minister said terrorism is now on the global agenda only because of the efforts of the Modi government. He said India exerted huge pressure on Pakistan through the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) process and also despite not being a member of the U.N. Security Council, India was able to get U.N. recognition that The Resistance Front (TRF) is a proxy of Pakistan-based LeT. The TRF had claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack. 'When the Pahalgam attack happened on April 22, it was a shocking attack for a variety of manner in which people were killed in front of their families, the fact that their faith was asked before killing them, the intent of destroying the economy of Jammu and Kashmir, which had returned to normalcy and prosperity after the end of Article 370. All of this angered the country,' he said. The Minister said there was grief and shock across the world. There was solidarity and sympathy. 'But the question was, what after that? And the answers were two. One, such an attack was absolutely unacceptable. It crossed our red line. There had to be severe consequences. 'And two, there had to be accountability and justice. There had to be accountability of the perpetrators, and they and their supporters had to be brought to justice. Now, the first clear message, of India's anger, of our resolve, of our determination, was the decision taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security immediately the day after, from April 23,' he said. In his nearly hour-long speech, Mr. Jaishankar informed that on May 9, U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance informed Prime Minister Modi that Pakistan was planning a huge attack on India. To this, Prime Minister Modi told Mr. Vance that India's response would be appropriate, he said. Pakistan attacked, and India gave a fitting and appropriate response, Mr. Jaishankar told the House. The Minister also India sent a clear message that it is not open to any mediation and will not be deterred by nuclear blackmail. Mr. Jaishankar said Operation Sindoor also did a global service as India reduced to dust terror infrastructure in Pakistan, including in Bahawalpur and Muridke. He also chided certain opposition party leaders for mocking India's military action against Pakistan, if they have any doubts, they should watch videos of funerals of terrorists in Pakistan and destruction of airfields in the neighbouring country. He said Opposition Sindoor was a well-considered and thoughtful response to the barbaric Pahalgam attack and it has now become the basis of a new policy. He emphasised India will keep responding to each terror attack in the same way. Certain opposition party members had raised the issue of Mr. Jaishankar's recent visit to China. To this, the Minister said he visited China to discuss terrorism, de-escalation, and trade restrictions. 'I had no secret meeting,' he said, in a veiled attack on senior Congress party leadership. Relations with China will be developed on mutual interest, mutual sensitivity and mutual respect, he added. The Minister also thanked the multi-party parliamentary delegation to various countries post Operation Sindoor, delegations to various countries, says they have done great national service.
