Opposition parties come together to demand special session of Parliament, write letter to PM

New Delhi: INDIA bloc parties on Tuesday rallied together to push their demand for a Special Session of Parliament in the wake of Operation Sindoor, with leaders from 16 parties writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue.

Senior opposition leaders, who held a meeting here, asserted that the session was needed to discuss a series of events, including the Pahalgam attack, followed by Operation Sindoor, US President Donald Trump’s claim of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, and the death of civilians in border areas in Pakistan shelling.

Opposition leaders said they stood with the government after the Pahalgam attack, and through Operation Sindoor, and they should now accept their demand for a special session.

Congress’ Jairam Ramesh and Deepender Hooda, Trinamool Congress’ Derek O’Brien, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)’s Manoj Jha, Samajwadi Party (SP)’s Ramgopal Yadav, and Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut attended the meeting.

"Sixteen parties have written a letter to the prime minister demanding a special session of Parliament. The government is responsible to Parliament, Parliament is responsible to people," O'Brien told reporters after the meeting.

Opposition leaders said the letter would be sent to the Prime Minister's Office soon.

O'Brien added that the decision to make a joint effort to demand a special session was made by the presidents of the respective parties, and not just the Parliamentary Party leaders.

Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition and Congress' Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, DMK's TR Baalu, Shiv Sena (UNT)’s Arvind Savant, are among the signatories.

DMK, National Conference, CPI(M), IUML, CPI, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Kerala Congress, MDMK, CPI(ML) Liberation are also among those who have signed the letter. The DMK could not join the meeting as it coincided with Karunanidhi's birth anniversary.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will write a separate letter to the prime minister raising the same demand.

While the Nationalist Congress Party (SP) had earlier said it did not have any demand for a special session of Parliament, Raut said he will talk to NCP leaders over the issue.

"Sharad Pawar sahab is also with us. This letter has signatures of floor leaders... Supriya Sule ji is out of the country. I will talk to him when I go to Mumbai,” he said.

Hooda said Congress and all opposition parties extended support to the government.

"We have raised the demand for a special session, we said it is important. All parties will be able to thank the armed forces, and the government can present facts... What are the efforts being made to isolate Pakistan and end terrorism... What is the way forward? We should debate it in Parliament,” he said.

Ramgopal Yadav said people of India are being kept in the dark.

“It is important to call a session, you are telling the whole world, but keeping the Parliament and people of India in the dark,” he said.

“On the diplomatic front, Modi has been visiting different countries for so many years. His so-called friend, Trump, announced the ceasefire... These are issues of concern. If people feel we were forced, then there should be an immediate ceasefire. Trump’s announcement should be discussed,” he said.

Several Opposition parties have been demanding a special session of Parliament since the Pahalgam terror attack. The demand was also raised in an all-party meeting held to inform the lawmakers about Operation Sindoor.

Trinamool Congress has suggested that the session should be held in June, after the multi-party delegations that have travelled to different countries to convey India's stand against terrorism return to the country.

Operation Sindoor, India's military response to the April 22 attack in Pahalgam in Kashmir that left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead.

Indian armed forces destroyed terror camps deep inside Pakistan and PoK, and later bombed airbases of the neighbouring country under Operation Sindoor.