Rajnath Singh, Jaishankar, Baijayant Jay Panda to speak for govt on Op Sindoor discussion; Priyanka Gandhi, Gaurav Gogoi to counter

New Delhi [India], July 28 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to open the discussion on Operation Sindoor, India's military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, in Lok Sabha on Monday. 

The Defence Minister will be backed by the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, BJP Vice-President Baijayant Panda, and party MPs Tejaswi Surya, Sanjay Jaiswal, Anurag Thakur, and Kamaljeet Sehrawat

Opposition, which had been demanding a discussion on Operation Sindoor, will raise questions over the government's action. Deputy Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, will lead the opposition's discussion. He will be aided by other Congress MPs, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Deepender Hooda, Praneet Shinde, Saptagiri Ulaka, and Bijendra Ola. 

MPs from other parties will contribute to the discussions with their valuable views on Operation Sindoor. TDP leaders Lavu Srikrishna and Harish Balyogi, who are part of the NDA alliance, are on the speakers' list. 

Samajwadi Party MPs Ramashankar Rajbhar, Chhotelal  Kharwar; Trinamool Congress MPs Kalyan, Sayoni Ghosh Banerjee, Kerala Congress MP K Francis George;  DMK MPs A Raja, K Kanimozhi and  NCPSP MP Amar Kale are also on the speakers list. 

However, the discussion on Operation Sindoor, which was set to begin at 12 pm in Lok Sabha, has not yet been initiated as both houses of Parliament were adjourned repeatedly amid sloganeering from the Opposition.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the third time today till 2 pm.

“The Opposition asked that a discussion on Operation Sindoor should happen, and I gave assurance, and the government too. I request again that you let the discussion on Operation Sindoor happen,” Lok Sabha speaker OM Birla said before adjourning the house.

Meanwhile, Congress MP and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that he would only speak in the lower house of Parliament.

"If I speak, it will be inside (the house). I am aware of that (adjournment of Lok Sabha), that's why I am standing here (outside)," Gandhi said while talking to reporters here.

When pushed to speak up, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha said, "My opportunity (to speak) is inside."

Earlier, both houses convened briefly at 12 PM, only to be adjourned amid protests.

MP Ghanshyam Tiwari, chairing the Rajya Sabha, told the Opposition members to maintain decorum in the house and allow for members to answer the question being asked of the government.

Similarly, Union Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu also took a swipe at the opposition for not allowing him to participate in the question hour, saying, "They have not even asked the question, how will I reply? Once they ask the question, I can reply."Meanwhile, as the Opposition MPs continue to sloganeer in the Lok Sabha before the commencement of discussion on Operation Sindoor, the House adjourned till 1 PM.

Speaker Om Birla said, "First, you ask for a debate on Operation Sindoor, then in the House, you come into the Well of the House. If you would like to participate in the discussion, please take your seats. Do you want to discuss Operation Sindoor or not? Should I adjourn the House?"

 Lok Sabha is also set to hold a discussion on Operation Sindoor, with top leaders from the ruling alliance and the opposition participating. Ahead of the 16-hour-long discussion on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has appealed to the opposition not to speak the language of Pakistan. (ANI)