The government is not considering the Opposition's demand for a special session of Parliament on Operation Sindoor that dealt a blow to terror infrastructure across the border after the Pahalgam attack, said government sources. Since the Monsoon Session will be held in July, the sources said there is no justification to hold a special session right now. There is little possibility of considering the demand for discussion on Operation Sindoor in the Monsoon Session, they added.
The government had earlier asserted that the opposition had already been informed of all the facts at the all-party meeting on Operation Sindoor.
Under Operation Sindoor, Indian forces had struck at least nine terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) on May 7 in a tactical action after the April 22 terror attack that left 26 civilians dead in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. This led to a flare-up in India-Pakistan tensions, with Islamabad launching missile and drone attacks and cross-border firings. All threats were neutralised by the Indian military.
The Congress and other opposition leaders had demanded that a special Parliament session be convened immediately to discuss the military and foreign policy strategies adopted by the government in the wake of the sudden flare-up.
After the May 10 ceasefire, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to call a special session to discuss Operation Sindoor and the ceasefire.
The ruling BJP, however, had asserted that the military operation was on pause and asked their political rivals not to raise "unnecessary and unwanted" questions.
Sources said there had been no consensus in the opposition camp on the demand for a special session.
The Congress reiterated its demand for a special session after the Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, acknowledged the loss of Indian jets in the hostilities. "What is important is not the jet being downed but why they were being downed," Gen Chauhan had said.
Flagging this remark, Mr Kharge had raised the need for asking some "very important questions" that he said would be possible if a special session is called immediately.
The Congress had also claimed that the government can call a special session on the completion of 50 years of Emergency, but sources have ruled out any such plan in the making.
