Monsoon session: INDI bloc to corner govt on Pahalgam attack, Trump’s ceasefire claims, Bihar voter revision in Parliament

The INDIA bloc—an alliance of 24 opposition parties—has decided to take on the government over a range of key issues during the Monsoon Session of Parliament starting July 21. Top on their agenda are the lack of accountability for the Pahalgam terror attack, US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims of mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, and the controversial revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, which the bloc alleges threatens voting rights.

In a virtual meeting ahead of the session, opposition leaders discussed eight major issues they plan to highlight in Parliament. These include concerns over foreign policy failures, the ongoing Gaza conflict, the delimitation exercise, and rising crimes against Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, women and minorities.

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Congress’ Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha, Pramod Tiwari, demanded that the Prime Minister attend the session and respond to these pressing matters. “Parliament is more important than foreign trips,” he said.

Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal reiterated that restoring full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir remains a top priority. He also announced an in-person INDIA bloc meeting scheduled for August to chalk out further strategies.

However, the alliance took a hit with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) officially pulling out and skipping the meeting. Other prominent absentees included West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.

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Those who did participate included Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, as well as J&K’s Omar Abdullah, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, Sharad Pawar (NCP-SP), Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena-UBT), Abhishek Banerjee (TMC), Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Ram Gopal Yadav (SP), Tiruchi Siva (DMK), M.A. Baby (CPI-M), D. Raja (CPI), and Dipankar Bhattacharya (CPI-ML), among others.

The alliance slammed the government’s “silence” following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, calling it an intelligence failure and a blow to national security. They also questioned the government’s denial of targeting Pakistan’s sensitive nuclear-linked Kirana Hills during Operation Sindoor, pointing to Donald Trump’s public claims of using trade pressure to defuse tensions.

The bloc raised alarms over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in Bihar, alleging it was a targeted move to disenfranchise sections of the electorate. They likened it to a “vote-bandi,” drawing parallels with demonetisation, and said it reflected an “undeclared Emergency.”

TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee went a step further, saying the government was using “E-square” tactics—ED (Enforcement Directorate) for opposition leaders, and EC (Election Commission) to manipulate voter rolls.

Other issues expected to be raised include the Ahmedabad plane crash, rising unemployment, inflation, farmers’ distress, and diplomatic setbacks.

The alliance also discussed pending impeachment matters involving members of the judiciary. This includes Justice Yashwant Varma, after burnt currency notes were found at his residence, and Justice Shekhar Yadav, who has faced accusations of delivering hate speech, with a motion pending against him since December 2024.

The INDIA bloc aims to maintain pressure on the government while ensuring Parliament functions effectively and remains a platform for democratic debate.