Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India]: Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday voiced reservations about convening a special session of Parliament to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor, and the recent India-Pakistan ceasefire, citing national security concerns.
While not entirely opposed to the idea, Pawar stated that such “sensitive and serious issues” should not be debated openly in Parliament.
“I am not against calling a special session of Parliament… but this is a sensitive and serious issue, and discussing it in Parliament is not ideal,” he told media.
“Instead of a special session, it would be better if we all sit together in an all-party meeting. In such a situation, it is necessary to keep the information confidential for national interest,” he added.
The comments come as opposition leaders, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, have demanded a special session to deliberate on the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor, and the ceasefire announcement, which was first made by US President Donald Trump and later confirmed by both New Delhi and Islamabad.
Pawar also responded to Trump’s controversial claims about US mediation in easing tensions between India and Pakistan, specifically regarding Kashmir.
“Till now, we have never allowed any third party to interfere in our domestic issues. But this is the first time US President Donald Trump has said something regarding our internal matters,” Pawar said.
On May 11, Trump claimed on his Truth Social platform that the US helped broker peace between the two nuclear-armed nations, warning that “millions could have died” in a full-scale war. He reiterated his offer to mediate a solution on Kashmir.
India has firmly rejected third-party involvement in Jammu and Kashmir, maintaining that the region is an integral and inalienable part of the country.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, called for the immediate convening of a special session, emphasizing:
“It is crucial for the people and their representatives to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor, and the ceasefire, first announced by US President Trump. This will also be an opportunity to demonstrate our collective resolve.”
Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, targeted multiple terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack, which claimed the lives of 26 Indian tourists.