Congress Moves Privilege Motion Against Rajnath Singh Over Operation Sindoor Casualties

The Congress party on Tuesday formally moved a privilege motion against Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, accusing him of misleading the Lok Sabha regarding the loss of lives of Indian soldiers during Operation Sindoor in May last year.

Congress General Secretary and Lok Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) K.C. Venugopal submitted a written request to Speaker Om Birla, urging him to initiate immediate privilege proceedings against the defence minister.

Rajnath Singh's Lok Sabha Statement

The political row centers on an official statement made by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the floor of the House on July 28, 2025. Addressing the opposition benches during the Lok Sabha session, Singh had stated, "If you (the opposition) need to ask a question, then ask whether our soldiers suffered any losses in this operation. The answer is, no."

Timeline of Operation Sindoor:

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted precision strikes against terrorist launch pads situated across the Line of Control (LoC) and inside Pakistan's territory.
• The military operation took place on the intervening night of May 6-7, 2025.
• Following the precision strikes, Pakistani forces retaliated with attacks on Indian military positions.

Discrepancy in Casualty Figures Sparks Privilege Motion

The privilege motion was triggered after the government released the names of six defence force personnel who died in the line of duty during Operation Sindoor. This official release occurred last week, directly challenging the statement made in parliament.

Names of the Fallen Personnel:

• Subedar Major Pawan Kumar
• Rifleman Sunil Kumar
• Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar
• Agniveer Mood Muralinaik
• Havildar Sunil Kumar Singh
• Sergeant Surendra Kumar (Indian Air Force)

What the Congress Privilege Motion States

In his formal letter to Speaker Om Birla, K.C. Venugopal argued that the release of these names proves the defence minister withheld vital facts from parliament.
On Misleading the House: "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.
On Contempt of Parliament: He added, "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."
The Demand: "I request that privilege proceedings may be initiated against the minister of defence in the matter."

Defence Ministry Issues Clarification on X

• Prior Recognition: The supreme sacrifice of the six military personnel was formally acknowledged by the state long before their names were recently inscribed on the National War Memorial in New Delhi.
• Timely Tributes: The Defence Ministry stressed that the nation had paid tribute to the fallen soldiers “at the earliest opportunity.”
• Gallantry Awards: The ministry noted that reports alleging a delay in public notice were incorrect, emphasizing that the soldiers had already received formal national recognition through gallantry awards announced later that year.

The ministry strongly refuted claims that the deaths of the six service members were hidden or recently brought to light for the first time. The government's defense highlights the following points.