INDIA bloc unites to seek special session of Parliament, 16 parties write to PM

INDIA bloc parties on Tuesday rallied together to push their demand for a Special Session of Parliament in the wake of , with leaders from 16 parties writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue.

Senior opposition leaders, who held a meeting in Delhi, asserted that the session was needed to discuss a series of events, including the Pahalgam attack, followed by Operation Sindoor, US President Donald Trump’s claim of between India and Pakistan, and the death of Indian civilians in border areas in Pakistan shelling.

Opposition leaders said they stood with the government after the Pahalgam attack, and through Operation Sindoor, and it should now accept their demand for a special session.

Jairam Ramesh and Deepender Hooda of the Congress, Derek O’Brien of Trinamool Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)’s Manoj Jha, Samajwadi Party (SP)’s Ramgopal Yadav, and Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut attended the meeting.

"Sixteen parties have written a letter to the prime minister demanding a special session of Parliament. The government is responsible to Parliament, Parliament is responsible to the people," O'Brien told reporters after the meeting.

Leaders of 16 INDIA parties have written to the PM today requesting for a special session of Parliament. Here is their letter. pic.twitter.com/gM1SarUYYk

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 3, 2025

Opposition leaders said the letter would be sent to the prime minister's office soon. O'Brien added that the decision to make a joint effort to demand a special session was made by the presidents of the respective parties, and not just the parliamentary party leaders.

Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and his sister and fellow MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, TMC national secretary Abhishek Banerjee, DMK's T.R. Baalu, and Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Arvind Savant are also among the signatories.

DMK, National Conference, CPI(M), IUML, CPI, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Kerala Congress, MDMK, CPI(ML) Liberation are also among the parties which have signed the letter. The DMK could not join the meeting as it coincided with Karunanidhi's birth anniversary.

"16 parties have written a letter to the Prime Minister demanding a special session of the Parliament. The letter talks about Poonch, Uri, Rajouri and having a free discussion in Parliament. The government is responsible to the Parliament; Parliament is responsible to the people.… pic.twitter.com/g7EbvnAKzj

— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) June 3, 2025

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will write a separate letter to the prime minister raising the same demand.

While the Nationalist Congress Party (SP) had earlier said it did not have any demand for a special session of Parliament, Raut said he would speak to NCP leaders over the issue. "Sharad Pawar sahab is also with us. This letter has signatures of floor leaders... Supriya Sule ji is out of the country. I will talk to him when I go to Mumbai,” he said.

Hooda said Congress and all opposition parties extended support to the government. "We have raised the demand for a special session, we said it is important. All parties will be able to thank the armed forces, and the government can present facts... What are the efforts being made to isolate Pakistan and end terrorism... What is the way forward? We should debate it in Parliament,” he said.

Ramgopal Yadav said people of India are being kept in the dark. “It is important to call a session, you are telling , but keeping the Parliament and people of India in the dark,” he said.

“On the diplomatic front, Modi has been visiting different countries for so many years. His so-called friend Trump announced the ceasefire... These are issues of concern. If people feel we were forced, then there should be an immediate ceasefire. Trump’s announcement should be discussed,” he added.

Several Opposition parties have been demanding a special session of Parliament since the Pahalgam terror attack. The demand was also raised in an all-party meeting held to inform the lawmakers about Operation Sindoor.

The Trinamool Congress has suggested that the session be held in June, after the multi-party delegations that have travelled to different countries to convey India's stand against terrorism return to the country.

Operation Sindoor is the codename for India's military response to the 22 April terror attack in Pahalgam in Kashmir that left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead, including a Nepalese national.

In retaliation for an attack that India claimed was perpetrated by a Pakistan-backed terror outfit, Indian armed forces destroyed terror camps deep inside Pakistan and PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir), and later bombed airbases of the neighbouring country.

With PTI inputs