'Insult' vs 'irony': Fiery end to Operation Sindoor debate as Kharge, Shah trade barbs over PM Modi's presence

NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha witnessed heated scenes on Wednesday during Home Minister Amit Shah's reply on Operation Sindoor, as the opposition led by Mallikarjun Kharge disrupted proceedings and raised slogans demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's presence in the House, before eventually staging a walkout.

Responding to the uproar, Amit Shah said, “I want to respond to those asking about the Prime Minister. I am here addressing their concerns. PM Modi is very much in office. If I can respond and clarify, then why insist on hearing from him?”

VIDEO | Parliament Monsoon Session: Union Home Minister Amit Shah (@AmitShah ), addressing the Rajya Sabha, says, "I want to respond to those asking about the Prime Minister. I am here addressing their concerns. PM Modi is very much in office. If I can respond and clarify, then… pic.twitter.com/evD6yodURD

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 30, 2025

As Amit Shah rose to speak, opposition MPs began shouting slogans and hooting, demanding that the Prime Minister himself address the Upper House on India's cross-border strikes following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. “There was a demand from the opposition that the PM should come to the House and give a reply. If the PM doesn't come to the House despite being present in Parliament premises, then it is an insult to the House,” Kharge said, triggering further uproar.

The debate soon turned confrontational, with Shah taking a sharp swipe at the Leader of the Opposition, saying, “It is irony that the person asking to speak here is the one not allowed to speak by his own party.”

Following the exchange, opposition MPs walked out of the Rajya Sabha in protest, continuing to demand a response from the Prime Minister Narendra on Operation Sindoor.

VIDEO | Congress President and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge), along with other opposition leaders, walks out of the Rajya Sabha.

(Source: Third Party)

(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/rJVNbzIiVj

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 30, 2025

Amid the commotion, Amit Shah also briefed the House about a new counterterror operation "Mahadev". “On Monday, our security forces conducted Operation Mahadev, in which three terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack were killed,” he said.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh posted on X, “The INDIA parties have just walked out of the Rajya Sabha at the gross insult to it by the Prime Minister who refused to be even present in the House at the end of the 16-hour debate on Op Sindoor-Pahalgam terror attack, let alone speak as a reply to the discussion.”

The INDIA parties have just walked out of the Rajya Sabha at the gross insult to it by the Prime Minister who refused to be even present in the House at the end of the 16-hour debate on Op Sindoor-Pahalgam terror attack, let alone speak as a reply to the discussion.

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) July 30, 2025