India’s Congress demands defence minister’s resignation over Operation Sindoor casualty claims

India's main opposition party, the Congress, has intensified its criticism of the government by demanding the resignation

India’s main opposition party, the Congress, has intensified its criticism of the government by demanding the resignation of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, accusing him of misleading Parliament about military casualties during the May 2025 conflict with Pakistan.

The controversy emerged after the Indian government officially disclosed the names of six armed forces personnel who lost their lives during the military operation known as Operation Sindoor. The names were added to the Roll of Honour on the National War Memorial’s official website on June 26, marking the first public confirmation of military fatalities linked to the conflict.

The delayed disclosure has prompted strong criticism from opposition leaders, who questioned why the government waited more than a year to officially acknowledge the deaths.

Speaking at a press conference, Congress Ex-servicemen Department Chairperson Colonel (Retd.) Rohit Chaudhry accused the government of concealing information about the soldiers who died during the conflict. He demanded that Rajnath Singh step down from his position and called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to apologise for defending what he described as inaccurate statements made in Parliament.

Chaudhry alleged that the ruling party had used the armed forces for political purposes while failing to be transparent about military losses.

“When Rajnath Singh stated in Parliament that no soldier had suffered any loss, BJP lawmakers applauded him,” Chaudhry said, adding that the government had no justification for delaying the publication of the names of the deceased personnel.

The Congress leader also questioned why it took approximately 13 months for the government to officially recognise the six service members, arguing that greater transparency should have been maintained from the outset.

The issue has also reached Parliament. Congress lawmaker K.C. Venugopal has sought privilege proceedings against Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, alleging that he misled the Lok Sabha regarding the casualties. The request relates to the deaths of five Indian Army personnel and one Indian Air Force member during the conflict.

Under Indian parliamentary rules, a privilege motion may be introduced if a member believes another parliamentarian or minister has breached parliamentary privilege by providing misleading information or withholding important facts.

Venugopal said he had written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, arguing that providing incorrect information to Parliament constitutes a breach of privilege and amounts to contempt of the House.

The Indian government has rejected the opposition’s allegations. Officials have maintained that the fallen soldiers were honoured at the earliest appropriate opportunity and denied claims that the Defence Minister had falsely stated no military personnel were killed during the conflict.

According to the Defence Ministry, Rajnath Singh’s remarks were intended to counter rumours circulating on social media at the time that Indian Air Force pilots had been killed during Operation Sindoor. The ministry argued that his comments were taken out of context and misrepresented by critics.

The controversy comes against the backdrop of the May 2025 military confrontation between India and Pakistan. The conflict followed New Delhi’s allegations that Islamabad was linked to the April 22 attack in Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 26 people. Pakistan rejected the accusations and denied any involvement.

The crisis escalated rapidly, leading to cross-border military action before both countries agreed to a ceasefire on May 10 following international diplomatic efforts. Since then, the handling of the conflict and the disclosure of military casualties have remained subjects of political debate within India.