Congress contacted me about demand for special Parliament session, told them not the right time: Supriya Sule

Earlier this week, 16 Opposition parties led by the Congress wrote to Modi demanding a special session, saying “there are serious questions facing the nation about the terror attack, killing of civilians in Poonch, Uri and Rajouri, the ceasefire announcements, and the implications on our national security and foreign policy”.

“We have supported the government’s efforts to engage with the international community on India’s position. The government has briefed foreign nations and the media, but not Parliament – keeping the people of India and their elected representatives in the dark,” the Opposition parties said. The NCP (SP) was not a signatory to the letter.

Asked whether that was the reason for her party not signing the letter, Sule said, “That’s exactly because… you have to understand the factual situation. I was out. (Sharad) Pawar sahab had already made the statement that till the entire operation is over that the NCP will stand by the government. We will not say a word against the government. This is not the time to do petty politics. This is an issue of India’s larger interest. So country comes first, then the state, then the party and then family.”

Sule said the country comes first and India must send a message to the world that we are united against any terror attack. “Pawar sahab had made it very clear. We were expecting that when the July session comes, hopefully everything will be settled by then, then we can definitely debate it. Because in a vibrant democracy, every issue must be debated, but there has to be a right time for it.”

Saying that Pawar had made it clear that Operation Sindoor was ongoing and no special session was required till it finishes, Sule said her party was with the government on sensitive issues. “Once the operation is over, we will ask the government hard questions, but not now. This is not the moment, especially when we were all out of India. We were telling the world more information, giving the facts to the world. Then we cannot ask questions. See, it’s country first, then the state, then the party and then your family,” she said.

Sule and the members of her delegation — they travelled to Egypt, Qatar, Ethiopia and South Africa — met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday and provided him with feedback about their interactions. “It’s a lot of learning and we have come with a lot of feedback for the government. The countries which we visited were very, very supportive, and stand united and very strongly with the government of India or any terror attack anywhere in the world,” she said.

Sule said her party would “definitely ask” the government questions during the Monsoon session. “Of course, I think India will ask questions, not just the NCP (SP). India will ask questions. India wants to know a lot of answers. It is not just about the NCP (SP), India wants to know.”