Rahul Gandhi urges PM Modi to convene special Parliament session on Operation Sindoor, ceasefire
New Delhi: Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the immediate convening of a special session of Parliament to discuss the recent Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor, and the ceasefire announced between India and Pakistan.
In his letter dated Sunday, Rahul Gandhi reiterated the “unanimous request of the Opposition” to hold the session in light of escalating tensions and the need for national consensus. He emphasized the importance of Parliament deliberating on these critical issues, calling it “crucial for the people and their representatives to discuss.”
“This will also be an opportunity to demonstrate our collective resolve to meet the challenges ahead,” Gandhi wrote, referring to the recent ceasefire agreement and the military developments preceding it.
Congress President and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, also echoed the demand in a separate letter. He referenced an earlier appeal dated April 28, 2025, which sought a joint session in response to the Pahalgam terror incident. Kharge said the recent ceasefire, initially announced by U.S. President Donald Trump and subsequent developments made the session even more urgent.
The India-Pakistan ceasefire agreement came after three days of intense military confrontation, during which Operation Sindoor was carried out by Indian forces on May 7. The operation targeted nine terror infrastructure sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians.
Despite the ceasefire announcement, Pakistani drones reportedly violated the truce within hours, entering Indian airspace over Jammu, Srinagar, Punjab, and Rajasthan, prompting further defense action.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
