‘Maun vrat': says Shashi Tharoor ahead of Operation Sindoor debate in Monsoon Session of Parliament
The Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP)—led ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and opposition parties will field their top leaders during the discussions in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
Home Minister AmitShah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, andExternal Affairs Minister S Jaishankarwill speak on the issues representing the government side. Singh is expected to speak at the beginning of the debate at noon.
There are indications that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also intervene to convey his government's "robust" stand against terrorism. There is, however, no official confirmation on this.
The Congress party has issued a whip to its Lok Sabha MPs, mandating their presence in the House for three days starting today. News agency PTI, quoting sources, said the party's Deputy Leader in the House, Gaurav Gogoi, is expected to lead the opposition party's charge on the first day of the debate.
Tharoor was asked by reporters to comment ahead of the debate. He responded 'Maun Vrat,' which translates to a 'Vow of Silence.'
A big question mark is whether Shashi Tharoor, who led the delegation to the US, among other countries, will be picked as a speaker by the Congress. The seasoned Lok Sabha member's enthusiastic endorsement of the government's action following the terror attack has soured his ties with his party.
Opposition parties have framed their public criticism of the government around alleged intelligence lapses behind the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 civilians killed, and US President Donald Trump's claims of mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after the four-day military action that ended on May 10.
Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly attacked the government's foreign policy, claiming India did not receive international support on Operation Sindoor and has cited Trump's frequent mediation claims to target the ruling alliance. Gandhi is expected to speak in Parliament on Operation Sindoor on Tuesday.
The government has rejected Trump's claims.
Key Takeaways The debate will focus on national security and the government's foreign policy response to recent attacks.
Key government figures, including Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, are set to represent the ruling party's stance.
Opposition parties, led by Congress, are expected to challenge the government on alleged intelligence failures.
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