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Informist, Tuesday, Jun. 30, 2026

NEW DELHI – The Congress Tuesday moved a privilege motion against Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for "misleading" the Lok Sabha regarding the loss of life of Indian soldiers during Operation Sindoor in May last year. Party General Secretary and Lok Sabha member K.C. Venugopal made a written submission to Speaker Om Birla to initiate privilege proceedings against the defence minister.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha on Jul. 28, 2025, Rajnath Singh had said, "If you (the opposition) need to ask a question, then ask whether our soldiers suffered any losses in this operation. The answer is, no." The Indian Air Force conducted precision strikes against terrorist launch pads situated across the Line of Control and in Pakistan's territory on the intervening night of May 6-7, 2025. Pakistani forces retaliated with attacks on Indian positions. 

However, last week, the government released the names of six defence force personnel who died in the line of duty during Operation Sindoor. They are Subedar Major Pawan Kumar, Rifleman Sunil Kumar, Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar, Agniveer Mood Muralinaik, Havildar Sunil Kumar Singh, and Indian Air Force Sergeant Surendra Kumar.

"The aforementioned position clearly indicates that the defence minister, while stating on the floor of the House that had been no casualties during Operation Sindoor was clearly misleading and incorrect," Venugopal wrote in the letter. "It is well established that misleading the House or withholding information from the House by a minister constitutes a breach of privilege and contempt of the House," he added.

"I request that privilege proceedings may be initiated against the minister of defence in the matter," the letter said.

The government on Saturday said that the sacrifice of six military personnel was formally acknowledged long before their names were recently inscribed on the National War Memorial in New Delhi. In a clarification posted on X, the defence ministry said that reports claiming that the deaths of six soldiers during Operation Sindoor has been brought to public notice for the first time only recently were "incorrect", and stressed that the nation had paid tribute to the fallen soldiers "at the earliest opportunity". It added that the soldiers received formal national recognition through gallantry awards announced later that year. End

Reported by Asim Khan

Edited by Akul Nishant Akhoury

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