Saurabh Mukherjee
The Opposition’s demand for a special session of Parliament following recent remarks by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Operation Sindoor appears unlikely to be met, with top government sources ruling out any such move for now.
Reports suggest that the government has no plans for a special session, with no discussions held on the matter so far.
Speculation had also been rife about the government possibly convening a session to mark the 50th anniversary of the Emergency on June 25, but this too seems to be off the table.
General Chauhan’s recent interviews, in which he acknowledged India’s initial air losses during Operation Sindoor before the armed forces gained the upper hand against Pakistan, triggered renewed demands for a special session. His remarks marked the first official admission of Indian fighter aircraft being downed during the early phase of the conflict in May.
The Congress has since intensified its efforts, collecting signatures from like-minded parties to press for a session aimed at reviewing India’s defence preparedness and foreign policy in light of the operation.
Parties including the Trinamool Congress, DMK, RJD, Left parties and Samajwadi Party have all backed the call. Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, is reportedly reaching out to Opposition leaders to build broader support.
RJD MP Manoj Jha wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, seeking a session to discuss the “implications of recent cross-border operations and the way forward.”
The Samajwadi Party echoed similar sentiments, urging the government to present its defence and foreign policy strategies in Parliament.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also weighed in, stating on X that General Chauhan’s remarks raised “very important questions” that warranted an immediate session of Parliament.
“In the wake of the remarks made by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in Singapore in an interview, there are some very important questions that need to be asked. These can only be done if a special session of the Parliament is immediately convened,” Kharge wrote.
Government sources, however, dismissed concerns over the CDS’s remarks, arguing that they were in line with statements made earlier by Air Marshal A.K. Bharti, Director General of Air Operations, during a May 11 briefing. They added that the comments clarified speculation over the initial setbacks faced by the Indian side.
Within the BJP, there were informal suggestions to mark the Emergency’s anniversary with a special session, but no official decision has been taken. Instead, the party is planning a nationwide campaign targeting the Congress over the 1975 Emergency.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi is set to chair a meeting of the Union Council of Ministers on Wednesday.
The session will cover strategic and governance issues, including Operation Sindoor, and will serve as a platform to outline the government’s public messaging ahead of its first anniversary.
The Council, which meets less frequently than the Cabinet, last convened before the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.
Reports suggest that the government has no plans for a special session, with no discussions held on the matter so far.
Speculation had also been rife about the government possibly convening a session to mark the 50th anniversary of the Emergency on June 25, but this too seems to be off the table.
General Chauhan’s recent interviews, in which he acknowledged India’s initial air losses during Operation Sindoor before the armed forces gained the upper hand against Pakistan, triggered renewed demands for a special session. His remarks marked the first official admission of Indian fighter aircraft being downed during the early phase of the conflict in May.
The Congress has since intensified its efforts, collecting signatures from like-minded parties to press for a session aimed at reviewing India’s defence preparedness and foreign policy in light of the operation.
Parties including the Trinamool Congress, DMK, RJD, Left parties and Samajwadi Party have all backed the call. Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, is reportedly reaching out to Opposition leaders to build broader support.
RJD MP Manoj Jha wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, seeking a session to discuss the “implications of recent cross-border operations and the way forward.”
The Samajwadi Party echoed similar sentiments, urging the government to present its defence and foreign policy strategies in Parliament.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also weighed in, stating on X that General Chauhan’s remarks raised “very important questions” that warranted an immediate session of Parliament.
“In the wake of the remarks made by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in Singapore in an interview, there are some very important questions that need to be asked. These can only be done if a special session of the Parliament is immediately convened,” Kharge wrote.
Government sources, however, dismissed concerns over the CDS’s remarks, arguing that they were in line with statements made earlier by Air Marshal A.K. Bharti, Director General of Air Operations, during a May 11 briefing. They added that the comments clarified speculation over the initial setbacks faced by the Indian side.
Within the BJP, there were informal suggestions to mark the Emergency’s anniversary with a special session, but no official decision has been taken. Instead, the party is planning a nationwide campaign targeting the Congress over the 1975 Emergency.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi is set to chair a meeting of the Union Council of Ministers on Wednesday.
The session will cover strategic and governance issues, including Operation Sindoor, and will serve as a platform to outline the government’s public messaging ahead of its first anniversary.
The Council, which meets less frequently than the Cabinet, last convened before the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.
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