India's Political Faction Leaders Urge for a Parliament Meeting
New Delhi: The heads of 16 opposition parties gathered on Tuesday, signing a petition requesting a special session of the Indian Parliament to discuss Operation Sindoor in June.
In a conversation following the meeting, Congress MP Deependra Singh Hooda declared the pressing need for parliamentary discussions on various pressing matters like Operation Sindoor, Pahalgam, diplomatic ceasefires, and strategies to combat terrorism, stating, "It's essential to ponder over these issues in the halls of Parliament... We must tackle terrorism and devise strategies against it in the Parliament as well."
Despite the Aam Aadmi Party's dissociation and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Sharad Pawar not participating, 16 opposing parties penned a letter to PM Modi urging the special session. The DMK was unable to attend the meeting due to a scheduling conflict with Karunanidhi's birth anniversary. Sanjay Raut from the Shiv Sena assured that Sharad Pawar supports the cause and will be involved in further discussions.
Operation Sindoor: A Brief Overview
Known as Operation Sindoor, India's military response to a devastating terrorist attack at Pahalgam by Pakistan-based "The Resistance Front," an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, occurred on May 7, 2025. The attack on April 22 claimed the lives of 26 unsuspecting tourists. India's response consisted of missile and air strikes targeting nine sites in Pakistani-administered Azad Kashmir and Punjab province. The mission aimed to be non-escalatory, primarily targeting terrorist training camps rather than military objectives[1][3][4].
The opposition parties' demands for a special session might stem from mounting security concerns and tensions along the India-Pakistan border due to the operation, a desire for increased transparency and accountability concerning military operations, and concern over the escalating military confrontations between India and Pakistan[5]. By addressing these matters in the Parliament, the opposition parties hope to scrutinize the government's decision-making process and discuss the implications of Operation Sindoor on national security and international relations.
In light of the ongoing Operation Sindoor, a non-escalatory response by India to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the opposition parties are calling for a special session in Parliament. This is due to mounting security concerns and tensions along India-Pakistan border, a need for increased transparency and accountability in military operations, and the desire to scrutinize the government's decisions on policy-and-legislation related to such incidents, which have implications on national security and general-news.
