The Narendra Modi government on Sunday agreed to debate Operation Sindoor in Parliament, with the Opposition signalling it would seek a clarification from the Prime Minister on US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims about mediating the cessation of India-Pakistan military hostilities.

The month-long monsoon session of Parliament begins on Monday. The government’s readiness to discuss Sindoor — the assurance came at the customary session-eve all-party meeting — is being seen as an effort to cool Opposition tempers.

The Opposition had pressed for a special session of Parliament to discuss Sindoor, particularly after Trump’s claim to have brokered the “ceasefire”, but the government refused.

Questions persist about many aspects of the May 7-10 conflict and its aftermath, including the number of fighter jets India lost and what many see as diplomatic reverses suffered by New Delhi in the wake of the military operation.

Another key subject on which the Opposition sought a debate in both Houses of Parliament was the controversial special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls
in poll-bound Bihar.

The government was, however, unwilling to agree to this demand and underlined that the matter was in the Supreme Court. A united Opposition said at the meeting that the exercise — which forces millions of voters to prove their citizenship — would lead to “mass disenfranchisement”.

“The Opposition wanted discussions on several issues. The government is ready for discussion with an open heart,” parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju told reporters after the meeting. “We are very much open to discussing important issues like Operation Sindoor.”

Rijiju, however, sidestepped a question on Trump’s persistent comments on
Operation Sindoor.

Apart from claiming he had used trade as a carrot and a stick to broker peace between India and Pakistan, Trump asserted on Friday that five jets were downed during the hostilities, without clarifying which country lost how many. India has denied any mediation by a third party.

“It would not be appropriate for me to comment on US President Trump. The government will clarify its stand when the issue comes up for discussion in the House,” Rijiju said.

Rijiju stressed that “rules and conventions” of parliamentary business would be followed.

Trump’s claim that five aircraft were shot down has fired up the Opposition. “Modiji, what is the truth of the five jets? Country has a right to know,” Rahul Gandhi has posted on X.

The Opposition is also expected to seize on Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha’s recent acknowledgment of an intelligence failure in the Pahalgam terror attack. It is also likely to grill the government on its failure to catch the perpetrators.

“This time we have more hope than before that Prime Minister Modi will address the country through the House,” the Congress’s deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, told reporters after the meeting.

Neither Modi nor Rahul, leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was at the meeting.

J.P. Nadda, leader of the Rajya Sabha, was in the chair. Rajnath Singh, defence minister and deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, who usually chairs these meetings, was reported to be “unwell” and unable to attend.

Gogoi stressed the need for Modi to be in the House to clarify on Trump’s comments.

“The statements coming from the US President today, in some way, raise questions on the dignity of India, the bravery of the army. The answers of the US President can be given only by the Prime Minister,” he said.

The Congress tweeted what it said were four key issues and demanded a debate for “a minimum of two days” on these, insisting on a reply in the House by Modi and not other ministers.

It said these issues were (i) Operation Sindoor, (ii) the special intensive rolls revision, (iii) foreign policy challenges, and (iv) the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, Schedule VI status for Ladakh and the situation in Manipur.

“Foreign policy challenges with respect to China especially, the failure of neighbourhood diplomacy, the moral cowardice on Palestine, etc,” the party posted, outlining some of the topics it wanted discussed in relation to the third key issue.

The Trinamool Congress did not participate in themeeting as its MPs were busy with the annual July 21 rally in Calcutta.

Judge impeachment

The session will see the Treasury and Opposition benches join forces to bring in an impeachment motion against Justice Yashwant Varma of Allahabad High Court.

An inquiry by a three-member Supreme Court panel has recommended his impeachment following the alleged discovery of a stash of partially burnt and purportedly unaccounted cash from his Delhi residence.

Rijiju said that 100 MPs from both sides had already signed the motion of impeachment.