NEW DELHI — The Rajya Sabha witnessed a stormy debate on Tuesday during deliberations over Operation Sindoor—India’s military counteraction to the April 22 terror strike in Pahalgam.
Tensions flared when JP Nadda, the BJP leader and Leader of the House, responded to Opposition charges. While promising that all concerns raised would be addressed, he remarked that the tone of Mallikarjun Kharge’s speech indicated “mental instability.”
The statement provoked immediate protests from Opposition benches, and the House witnessed an uproar for a while, even though the deputy speaker Harvansh Narayan Singh tried to pacify the members that the Leader of the House had withdrawn his words.
Kharge, clearly incensed, rose to respond: “I have always respected a few ministers in this House—Nadda is one of them. But calling me mentally unstable is outrageous. He must apologise. I will not let this go.”
Opposition MPs echoed his protest, prompting Nadda to withdraw his words and apologise. “I apologise. You’re not mentally unstable. But in your emotional fervour, you overlooked the dignity due to the Prime Minister,” he clarified.
The confrontation highlighted the deepening divide between ruling and Opposition parties, not only over national security but also the deteriorating standards of Parliamentary dialogue.
The debate on ‘Operation Sindoor’ is set to continue, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah expected to speak later in the session.
Earlier, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had opened the proceedings by outlining the government’s position. He said Indian security forces had killed three terrorists belonging to The Resistance Front, the outfit responsible for the April 22 massacre of 26 civilians.
Singh commended the joint action of the Army, CRPF, and Jammu and Kashmir Police, and reinforced India’s uncompromising position on terrorism.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, spearheading the Opposition’s response, criticised the government’s internal security record, demanded clarified answers, and fixing of accountability. — IANS
