July 30, 2025
Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev’s speech during the Special Discussion on Operation Sindoor
Sir, please pause my time or bring the House in order. … Sir, the House is not in order. Sir, please sort this out. “Hon’ble Chairperson Sir, I begin by thanking my party for giving me the opportunity to speak on an important issue. But I deeply regret that I will not be thanking the Government of India. It should have convened a special session in the House regarding Operation Sindoor, where all Members could have been given the chance to speak and learn about the steps taken by the country’s Prime Minister. Secondly, Sir, ever since the speeches on Operation Sindoor began from the Government of India’s side, I have noticed that they are trying to send a message that questioning Prime Minister Modi, the Foreign Minister or the Home Minister means speaking against the country’s interests. Today, I want to clearly tell the people of the nation that we have expressed pride in the Indian Army regarding Operation Sindoor. Under the leadership of our leader Mamata Banerjee, we have marched in every district of Bengal, in Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Goa, and Kerala, to thank the Indian Army. But questioning is our right. India is a democratic country. We are not Pakistan. Today, even in Pakistan’s Parliament, is there anyone with the courage to question their leaders like Munir or Sharif? We are living in a democratic country, and so we can question our Government. We never said Operation Sindoor was unsuccessful. I believe Operation Sindoor was successful. But our discussion and our criticism are about what the Government was doing before Operation Sindoor and what it did after it. Today, 26 unarmed, innocent people were shot dead by four terrorists in Pahalgam. There was no intelligence information. There were no security arrangements or preparations to protect the citizens. Who will be responsible for this? The Government of India, the Home Minister must answer for it. * But even after so many killings, the Chief of our Intelligence Bureau was not removed by the Government of India. We demand answers for this. Today, I want to say that after Sindoor, our question is: what was your foreign policy? Just yesterday, the Prime Minister spoke, and last night, the US President said again that the ceasefire between India and Pakistan was brokered by the US President. Is this not shameful, Sir? Can’t we ask this question? Certainly, we can. Because 140 crore countrymen, all opposition MPs, all parliamentarians have stood together in support of the Government of India. But what is the outcome? That is being discussed today. Today, like Pakistan, this nation has become a factory for terrorists. It’s not just today but for the last three decades, regardless of which Government is in power—UPA or NDA—they have continuously attacked India. But what have we done? When billions of dollars were offered by the IMF and the World Bank, we abstained. I want to question the External Affairs Minister: do you know what abstaining means? What is the difference between abstaining and pressing the ‘no’ button in Parliament? I also want to ask if India pressed the ‘no’ button against Zimbabwe’s expulsion on 11 September 2005. Give me the answer! Did you or did you not press the ‘no’ button on 12 September 2016 when Russia vetoed the IMF offer regarding Ukraine? Today you are negotiating laws with the United Nations, IMF, and the World Bank. I want to say to the Modi Government that if you consider yourselves patriots and you keep delivering speeches hour after hour as we hear here, then, I think your speeches are no different from the commentators of a wrestling match, commenting on what you think is happening between India and Pakistan. But we know what has really happened between India and Pakistan, where civilians were killed. Mr. Chairperson, this is a crucial issue of national security for which, history will never forgive Prime Minister Modi in his lifetime. Never forgive. I want this great country called India, which has a history of peace and prosperity, to never become a terrorist state like Pakistan. I hope the President of India, like Pakistan, will not allow this country to become a terror state. A rogue State like Pakistan should not ever put a great country like India in the predicament that it did in Pahalgam or whatever happened in the past. That is our expectation as the opposition. Thank you.”
