The Monsoon session of Parliament opened on a stormy note Monday as the Lok Sabha was adjourned till 12 noon following intense protests from opposition members demanding a discussion on ‘Operation Sindoor’—India’s military response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
Soon after obituary references were made, the Congress-led opposition rose in protest, pressing for an immediate debate on the recent strikes carried out by Indian armed forces against Pakistan-based terror infrastructure.
Speaker Om Birla attempted to maintain order, assuring that all matters—including Operation Sindoor—could be taken up after the scheduled Question Hour. “The House will run as per rules. Members will be allowed to raise issues if proper notice is given,” he said firmly.
Emphasizing the need to uphold parliamentary decorum, Birla warned members against sloganeering and flashing placards. “You may protest outside the House, but here we must respect procedure and public expectation,” he added.
Despite the Speaker’s repeated assurances, the opposition remained defiant. Congress MPs moved into the well of the House, while others shouted slogans from their seats. With chaos escalating, proceedings were suspended barely 20 minutes after they began at 11 am.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi were present during the brief session.
Before the uproar, the House paid homage to eight former MPs who recently passed away, as well as victims of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and the June 12 plane crash in Ahmedabad.
Speaker Birla also lauded Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s successful 18-day space mission and congratulated ISRO for the historic feat. A dedicated session to discuss the space mission will be held later in the session.
