The government on Monday agreed to list a discussion on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha next week after the Congress-led Opposition stalled the Lower House proceedings on day one of the monsoon session seeking an immediate debate on the issue and a reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.AdvertisementThe Rajya Sabha, too, witnessed a walkout, led by Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge on the matter.The decision to debate the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 tourists, including a Nepalese national, on April 22, was taken at a meeting of the LS business advisory committee (BAC), chaired by Speaker Om Birla. The meeting decided to discuss only these twin issues next week once the PM returns from his UK and Maldives tour on July 26.Modi will be embarking on a two-nation tour of the UK and the Maldives from July 23 to July 26.A time slot of 16 hours has been allotted for the debate, sources aware of the development said.The Tribune has learnt that the opposition parties, while speaking at the BAC meetings of both the LS and the RS, demanded the discussion under rules that entail voting. Opposition sources said the government had agreed to the demand of debating the Pahalgam terror attack, the Indian military response to the attack and the resultant diplomatic events under Rule 184 in the LS and Rule 167 in the RS.“The practice is that the government pushes discussions under Rule 193 in the LS and Rule 176 in the RS. These rules permit routine short duration discussions and do not entail voting. On the other hand, Rule 184 and Rule 167 in the Lower and Upper House, respectively, permit voting and also grant a right to the initiator to speak at the end of the discussion. Also, such a discussion requires a high government minister to respond,” said a Congress leader, adding that the last time the government of the day allowed discussion under voting rules was nearly 14 years ago under the UPA-2.The government, on its part, is yet to confirm the rules under which it would discuss the Pahalgam terror attack.The RS, too, will discuss the issue with the BAC to take a call on the duration tomorrow.Earlier today, the LS witnessed four adjournments after the Opposition launched vociferous protests, with several MPs from the Congress, Left, Samajwadi Party and other INDIA bloc parties, rushing to the well of the House, raising slogans, demanding the PM’s presence in the House and a discussion on the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor.The opposition MPs were demanding the debate to commence today itself.The day’s proceedings in the LS were washed out moments after PM Modi urged parliamentarians to send out a message of unity after a successful Operation Sindoor and LS Speaker Om Birla appealed for a productive debate.As the first day was wasted, the opposition MPs also sought separate debates on the special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar and the Manipur situation.Amid pandemonium, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is the Deputy Leader of the LS, said the government was “ready for a detailed discussion on all issues allowed by the Speaker” and appealed for calm. The Opposition remained unfazed and persisted with protests and sloganeering demanding the PM’s response to multiple claims by US President Donald Trump in respect of the India-Pakistan ceasefire.Opposition sources indicated that the House may not run for the whole week until the Pahalgam terror attack debate is held. The opposition MPs are also agitated about the SIR in Bihar.At the start of the day’s proceedings today, Congress leaders Gaurav Gogoi (deputy leader of the Congress in the LS), Randeep Surjewala and Naseer Hussain in the Rajya Sabha gave notices to suspend House business to discuss the Pahalgam attack forthwith.Gogoi later said the government brought a written agenda at the BAC meeting and it made no reference to Pahalgam or Operation Sindoor.
Govt agrees to 16-hour debate on Pahalgam attack, Op Sindoor next week
