Congress backs Centre at all-party meeting after Op Sindoor, Kharge questions PM’s absence

NEW DELHI: The Congress party has extended its full support to the Central government during an all-party meeting held on Thursday to address the escalating tensions with Pakistan following India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’ and subsequent cross-border shelling along the Line of Control (LoC).

However, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s absence from the meeting, asking if the PM though he was above the Parliament.

The meeting was convened to brief political leaders on the situation after Operation Sindoor–a series of precision missile strikes in the early hours on Wednesday, targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

#WATCH | On all-party meeting, Congress MP & LoP Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge says, “In the meeting, we heard what they (Centre) had to say. They also said that certain confidential information cannot be shared outside. We told them that we all are with the government. ” pic.twitter.com/cMqU31RgmA

— ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

Kharge, speaking to the media after the meeting, said, “We heard what was said (by the government). They said for the interest of the country, anything based on national security was confidential and they couldn’t say anything about it. However, all the party members who were present said that in this hour of crisis, we are all with them and told them to keep doing the work, and we will support them for the interest of the country.”

Despite the show of unity, Kharge took a sharp dig at PM Modi for skipping the meeting, marking his second consecutive absence from such discussions. “Last time he was not there, and this time he isn’t there either. It’s his intention that he thinks he is above the Parliament. When the time comes, we will ask, but now it is a time of crisis, and we don’t want to criticise anyone”, Kharge remarked.

His comments echo similar criticism he made when PM Modi skipped an all-party meeting following the Pahalgam error attack, noting that the Prime Minister should have directly heard viewpoints of opposition members.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who attended the meeting, reaffirmed Congress’s support for the government’s actions in the national interest. “We gave our full support. As Kharge ji said, these things can’t be discussed. But everyone supported”, Gandhi stated, emphasising the need for unity during the crisis.

#WATCH | Delhi | After the all-party meeting, Congress MP and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi said, “We have extended our full support to the government. As Mallikarjun Kharge ji said, they (the government) said that there are a few things that we don’t want to discuss.” pic.twitter.com/MiFhaHoDLm

— ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

The all-party meeting was called by the Centre over Operation Sindoor at the Parliament Annexe building today. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh briefed political parties over India’s action on cross-border terrorism.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister JP Nadda Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi are among several others leaders who participated in the meeting. (ANI)