Call all-party meet, but only if PM Modi attends: Kapil Sibal

New Delhi: In the wake of India and Pakistan agreeing to halt all military actions, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Sunday demanded the immediate convening of an all-party meeting and a special session of Parliament. He urged political parties to boycott the proposed meeting unless Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally attends.

Addressing a press conference in the capital, Sibal said, “This is not the time for criticism, but for accountability and transparency. We want to know what transpired over the past few days.” He cited the lack of official communication regarding diplomatic efforts, despite a tweet from US President Donald Trump claiming credit for the "historic and heroic decision" to de-escalate tensions between India and Pakistan.

Sibal pointed out that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had revealed that talks had been ongoing for 48 hours, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also held discussions with India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. “No information has been shared with Parliament or the public,” Sibal said.

Stressing the urgency of the matter, Sibal argued that MPs should not have to wait for the Monsoon Session to be briefed. He added that had former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh been in office, a special session would already have been convened, and he would have personally led the all-party dialogue.

Sibal also criticised Prime Minister Modi for skipping the all-party meeting held after the Pahalgam terror attack, suggesting that the PM prioritised political engagements such as the Bihar elections and events in Bollywood over critical national security discussions. “When incidents occur in places like Manipur, the Prime Minister often chooses not to visit. This is unfortunate,” he remarked.

The Independent MP praised the Indian armed forces for their strong response to Pakistan, saying the nation stood united in demanding a decisive reply.

Sibal’s comments come after India and Pakistan reached an agreement on Saturday to immediately cease all hostilities—by land, air, and sea—following four days of heavy cross-border missile and drone attacks.
(With PTI inputs)