New Delhi, India – The Monsoon Session of Parliament witnessed a heated exchange in the Lok Sabha on Monday, as Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi pressed the government for transparency regarding India’s military losses during Operation Sindoor, the retaliatory action following the Pahalgam terror attack. Gogoi’s pointed questions were directed at Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, marking a significant moment in the ongoing debate over national security and accountability.
Launching a sharp attack on the Centre, Gaurav Gogoi directly questioned the number of Rafale jets, India’s advanced fighter aircraft, that might have been lost during operations against Pakistan. “There are just 35 Rafale jets in India, and if some of them have been downed, I think it is a big loss,” Gogoi stated, speaking after Rajnath Singh had initiated the 16-hour-long discussion on the matter.
Gogoi’s concerns stemmed from a previous statement by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, who had alluded to “initial losses in the air” without providing specific details. This ambiguity fueled Gogoi’s demand for clarity. “The country wants to know — 100 days have passed since the Pahalgam attack, but this government has not brought the terrorists to justice,” he asserted, linking the two issues.
During the debate, Gogoi further insisted on a full disclosure of India’s losses. “We want to know from Rajnath Singh ji today how many of our fighter jets were downed. We have to tell this not just to the public but also to our jawans, as they are being lied to as well,” he emphasized, highlighting the perceived lack of transparency for both citizens and armed forces personnel.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, however, countered the Opposition’s line of questioning robustly. While lauding the armed forces and the outcome of Operation Sindoor, Singh expressed dismay at the nature of the Opposition’s queries. “Some Opposition members are asking how many of our aircraft were shot down. I feel their question does not adequately represent our national sentiments. They have not asked how many enemy aircraft our armed forces shot down,” Singh retorted.
Singh then elaborated on what he considered the true metrics of success for Operation Sindoor. “If they must ask a question, it should be whether India destroyed terrorist bases — and the answer is yes. If you want to know whether Operation Sindoor was successful — again, the answer is yes. Were terror heads destroyed? Yes. And to those asking if any of our soldiers were harmed — the answer is no, none of our brave soldiers were harmed,” the defence minister affirmed.
The debate in Parliament comes amidst increasing public and political pressure on the government to release comprehensive details about Operation Sindoor, which targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir across the Line of Control, in response to the Pahalgam attack on April 22.
Gaurav Gogoi Targets Home Minister Amit Shah and PM Modi
Beyond military losses, Gaurav Gogoi extended his critique to include Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a scathing attack, the Congress’s deputy leader in the House demanded that Home Minister Amit Shah take direct responsibility for what he termed “lapses” that led to the Pahalgam attack.
Gogoi also criticized the government over President Donald Trump’s repeated claims (26 times, according to Gogoi) that he used trade leverage to bring about a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. “Before whom did Prime Minister Narendra Modi surrender?” Gogoi questioned, casting doubt on the government’s narrative of decisive action.
He reminded the House of the Prime Minister’s previous strong statements post-Uri and Pulwama attacks – “humne ghar mein ghus ke maara” (we attacked them in their home) and claims of destroying terror infrastructure. Gogoi argued that the current situation, with continued warnings that “Operation Sindoor is incomplete and Pakistan can do this again,” contradicts claims of success.
“They themselves are saying our intention was not war, why was it not so? They say it was not to take territory, why was it not so? When will we take back Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, if not today, then when? The most horrendous terror attacks have happened under your government,” Gogoi passionately stated.
He concluded his address by demanding answers from Prime Minister Modi: if Pakistan was “ready to kneel before India,” then “why did we stop and before whom did you surrender?” Reiterating the concern about military losses, Gogoi stressed the immense cost of each Rafale jet and called for the truth to be shared with both citizens and soldiers, who he believes “are also being lied to.”
Referring to the Defence Minister’s earlier speech, Gogoi acknowledged that Rajnath Singh provided a lot of information, but notably, “did not say as the defence minister how terrorists came to Pahalgam.” He reiterated the frustration that “100 days have passed, but this government has not brought terrorists to justice.”
Gogoi also lambasted the Home Minister’s past assurances. “The home minister kept saying that the backbone of terrorism has been broken, but Uri, Balakot and Pahalgam still happened,” he pointed out. He concluded with a sharp rebuke, “Who will take responsibility, the (J-K) LG? It is the home minister who must take responsibility. You cannot hide behind the LG. This government is such a coward and is so weak that they blamed even the tour operators for the Pahalgam attack.”