During the Lok Sabha debate on Operation Sindoor, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav strongly criticized the government's handling of the situation, raising concerns about the sudden ceasefire and its implications. He questioned whether the government missed an opportunity to "teach Pakistan a lesson". Yadav also called the Pahalgam terror attack an "intelligence failure".
Yadav questioned the abrupt halt to Operation Sindoor, suggesting that India could have further asserted its position. He stated that if the forces had more opportunity, they might have even taken Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. He inquired about the reasons behind the ceasefire, asking "under whose pressure was the ceasefire done?". He also implied the government's decision to announce a ceasefire after the Pahalgam terror attack signaled a "deeper friendship" with the United States. Yadav highlighted that it was expected that India would announce the ceasefire, but instead, the government had their 'friend' Donald Trump do it.
Yadav didn't only focus on the ceasefire. He also criticized the government's overall foreign policy, claiming it had "completely collapsed". He argued that while the government frequently discusses Pakistan to garner votes, the real threat to India is China. In this regard, he urged the Union government to implement a policy banning the import of goods from China for ten years and to promote "Swadeshi".
Furthermore, Yadav raised questions about the security lapses that led to the Pahalgam attack, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. He criticized the government for the loss of lives and what he perceived as a weak border strategy. He questioned how the terrorists responsible for the attack were still at large, asking, "Where did the terrorists disappear?". Union Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed that the three terrorists neutralised in Operation Mahadev were involved in the Pahalgam Attack.
Other political figures also commented on Operation Sindoor during the debate. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi questioned the government's failure to prevent the Pahalgam attack. Rajnath Singh, the Defence Minister, defended Operation Sindoor, emphasizing India's decisive action and moral clarity. Hanuman Beniwal, an MP from Rajasthan, provided a moment of comic relief by jokingly stating that Pakistan has become India's wife after Operation Sindoor and that the government should "bring her home".
The parliamentary debate on Operation Sindoor saw clashes between the government and opposition, with discussions revolving around the operation's military and political implications. The opposition questioned the government's silence on alleged downed jets and Trump's mediation claims, while the government criticized the opposition's past inaction.
