New Delhi: Ahead of the highly anticipated debate on ‘Operation Sindoor’ in Parliament, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju Monday invoked the Ramayan to draw parallels between India’s military response to Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism and Lanka’s destruction.
Referring to the aftermath of Pakistan-backed terror activity, Rijiju said that the terror camps faced the same fate as Lanka when the red lines were crossed.
Taking to X, Rijiju posted, “Discussion on ‘Operation Sindoor’ to begin today. When Ravan crossed the Lakshman Rekha, Lanka burned. When Pakistan crossed the red lines drawn by India, terrorist camps faced the fire!”
Parliament is now bracing for what is expected to be a defining moment of the Monsoon Session, as it opens a 16-hour-long debate on the government’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack and the broader scope of ‘Operation Sindoor’.
The operation has been described as a critical military and diplomatic countermeasure against cross-border terrorism.
The first week of the Monsoon Session had witnessed repeated disruptions, primarily over issues such as the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar and other contentious matters raised by the Opposition.
However, following a consensus, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rijiju announced July 25 that national security discussions would begin in the Lok Sabha Monday and continue in the Rajya Sabha Tuesday.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will initiate the debate, presenting the government’s position on the objectives and outcomes of ‘Operation Sindoor’.
He will be joined by Home Minister Amit Shah and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, both of whom are expected to lay out the government’s narrative on the Pahalgam terror strike and India’s subsequent military actions.
Prominent BJP MPs, including Anurag Thakur and Nishikant Dubey, will also be speaking during the session, reinforcing the government’s stand.
On the Opposition Benches, Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge are expected to lead the counter-narrative.
They will be joined by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and several other Opposition leaders, all of whom are likely to question the transparency, execution, and impact of the operation.
Recognising the weight of the debate, the Congress party has issued a three-day whip to all its Lok Sabha MPs, mandating their presence in the House.
