Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday said that the BJP-led central government is "very much open to discussing important issues like Operation Sindoor in Parliament" amid pressing demand from the opposition parties for a debate on US President Donald Trump’s controversial claims of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
"We are very open to a discussion on important issues like Operation Sindoor. These are issues of great national importance. The government is not shying away and will never shy away, but is open to discussions within rules, conventions," the minister told the media after the meeting.
Stressing that the 'niyam' (rules) and 'parampara' (conventions) will be given importance, he said the matters raised at the meeting would be taken up at the Business Advisory Committee of both houses, where a final decision would be taken.
"We have noted all the points. We have requested all parties (to ensure) the Parliament functions properly. Have to ensure coordination. It is the responsibility of all to help Parliament function," he said.
Rijiju also said that the government has noted the demand for allocation of more time to parties with fewer MPs to speak in Parliament.
"We will try and provide adequate time to all, including smaller parties," he said.
The minister said the government is bringing 17 key bills, details of which would be provided soon.
The all-party meeting convened by the Union government ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament saw the Opposition raise a host of contentious issues — including voter roll revisions in Bihar, the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, and Trump's claims.
While the government sought the cooperation of opposition parties for the smooth conduct of the House, the meeting quickly pivoted to pointed demands for accountability.
However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, from whom the opposition has been seeking answers regarding Trump's repeated claims on brokering India-Pakistan ceasefire, is unlikely to respond in Parliament on these issues, reported PTI, citing sources.
Responding to the opposition's demands for PM Modi to make a statement on the Pahalgam attack and other issues, Rijiju said, "I want to make it clear that the prime minister remains in Parliament except during foreign travel. The prime minister always remains in Parliament, but the prime minister does not remain in the House all the time."
"Whenever Parliament functions, cabinet ministers are present to respond to issues concerning their departments," he said.
Congress Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, told reporters that his party had asked for a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Trump’s remarks, what he described as “lapses” that led to the Pahalgam attack, and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
"It is the moral responsibility of the PM to answer on these issues. We hope that PM will fulfil his moral duty," Gogoi said.
Later, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh in a post on X listed out several issues raised by Gogoi during the all-party meeting.
"In the all-party meeting convened by the Modi Government today, my colleague Gaurav Gogoi, the Deputy Leader of the INC in the Lok Sabha, made the following demands for discussion in Parliament on behalf of the INC - Pahalgam, Sindoor, statements of LG J&K, CDS, Deputy COAS, and President Trump.
"The SIR votebandi exercise that will lead to mass disenfranchisement in Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, and other states, alongside other actions of ECI that threaten electoral democracy," he said.
Ramesh also said foreign policy challenges with respect to China especially, the failure of neighbourhood diplomacy, the moral cowardice on Palestine, were also raised during the meeting with the government.
He also said that the restoration of full statehood to J&K, Schedule VI status for Ladakh, and the situation in Manipur (a state that is still awaiting the PM's visit) was also raised during the meeting.
"He further insisted on a reply by the Prime Minister himself on these debates which must last a minimum of two days each," Ramesh said in his post on X.
The concerns were echoed by CPI(M) MP John Brittas, who also urged the PM Modi to address the Parliament on both the Pahalgam attack and Trump’s ceasefire claims, which he says merit urgent clarification.
Aam Aadmi Party’s Sanjay Singh said he had raised what he called the “poll scam” linked to the SIR in Bihar, which opposition parties have alleged threatens citizens’ voting rights. Singh also flagged Trump’s assertion on negotiating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
Responding to questions on political strategy, Singh clarified that the INDIA bloc remains focused on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and that AAP would contest the upcoming state elections independently.
Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav, meanwhile, claimed that India’s foreign policy had “failed”, stating that no major country had come out in support of New Delhi during Operation Sindoor.
“India's foreign policy has failed... No country supported it on Operation Sindoor,” Yadav said following the meeting.
Meanwhile, Sasmit Patra of the BJD, turned the focus to domestic law and order, citing incidents in Odisha, including the self-immolation of a college student and the case of a 15-year-old girl being set on fire.
“There is a complete collapse of law and order in Odisha. The BJP government there is helpless and has failed,” Patra said.
“The Centre can’t escape responsibility from the failing law and order in states. Parliament should debate it,” he added.
The meeting was chaired by Union Minister and Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, JP Nadda, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Minister of State Arjun Ram Meghwal representing the government.
Leaders from several opposition parties, including Jairam Ramesh (Congress), Supriya Sule (NCP–Sharad Pawar), TR Baalu (DMK), and Ramdas Athawale (RPI–A), were in attendance.
Notably, Opposition leaders have said they would push to raise these issues prominently during the Monsoon session, including the failure to bring those responsible for the Pahalgam attack to justice, concerns over the SIR’s potential to suppress voter rights in Bihar, and the repeated, unverified claims by Trump in de-escalating past India–Pakistan tensions.
The Monsoon session of Parliament is scheduled to sit from July 21 to August 21, 2025.
