India bloc sharpens attack on govt ahead of Monsoon session, unites on Pahalgam, Bihar SIR and foreign policy

As the Monsoon session of Parliament kicks off on July 21, the India bloc of Opposition parties has vowed to present a united front against the Modi-led government on a series of critical issues, including the Pahalgam terror attack, electoral roll revisions in Bihar, foreign policy lapses, and alleged threats to democratic rights.

In a virtual meeting held July 19, at least 24 Opposition parties convened to chart a coordinated strategy for the month-long session. The leaders, representing a broad ideological spectrum, agreed to raise eight key issues "with one voice" in both Houses, projecting a rare show of solidarity.

Top of the agenda: Pahalgam attack and voter suppression

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari, speaking after the meeting, said the unresolved June Pahalgam terror strike — which left several widows and raised questions of an intelligence lapse — would be front and center in the Opposition's charge. “This attack wounded the self-respect of 140 crore Indians. The terrorists vanished without a trace, and now even the government admits to security failure. The Prime Minister must answer,” Tiwari said.

Another major flashpoint is the Election Commission’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. Calling it a “murder of democracy”, Tiwari alleged voter deletions based on political biases. “After demonetisation, it’s votebandi. Voter rights are under threat in this undeclared emergency,” he warned.

Trump’s ceasefire claim, ‘Operation Sindoor’ also under fire

The bloc also plans to confront the government on US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, especially in the context of “Operation Sindoor”. “Trump has said this 24 times — and yet our Prime Minister has never contradicted him. The silence is deafening,” Tiwari said.

The parties will also target the government’s “ineffective foreign policy”, particularly concerning China, Pakistan, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Other items on the Opposition's agenda include the Ahmedabad plane crash, caste and gender-based atrocities, and the contentious issue of delimitation.

Unity on display, but rifts remain

Prominent leaders such as Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, Omar Abdullah, Hemant Soren, and Tejashwi Yadav attended the virtual meeting. However, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was notably absent, having publicly distanced itself from the bloc.

Sources said some friction emerged during the discussions — CPI’s D Raja reportedly took exception to Rahul Gandhi’s recent remarks targeting both RSS and CPI(M). Pawar, Thackeray, and SP’s Ram Gopal Yadav emphasized the need for more frequent meetings to maintain momentum.

Recent meeting marked the bloc’s first coordination effort since June 2024, when 21 parties had met post-election. Despite differences, the alliance expressed resolve to push the government for accountability.

“We want Parliament to function — but the government must answer to the people,” Tiwari concluded.

This is going to be the first session since April 22 Pahalgam attack, in which 25 tourists and a local ponywallah were killed. Subsequently, Operation Sindoor was conducted by the Indian armed forces in Pakistan against terror emanating from that country. Top Opposition leaders, including Kharge and Rahul, have then demanded a special session of Parliament to discuss these developments.

A source said Omar Abdullah appealed to the alliance’s leaders to raise the issue of restoration of Jammu and Kashmir statehood in both the Houses. “The meeting decided that along with Pahalgam security lapses, J&K statehood could also be raised,” the source added.