Congress Demands Rajnath Singh's Resignation Over Operation Sindoor Deaths

Top Summary

• What happened: Congress demanded the resignation of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and an apology from PM Modi, alleging deceit over the deaths of six soldiers in Operation Sindoor.
• Why it matters: The controversy centers on claims that the government concealed the deaths, denying soldiers due recognition and honour.
• What changes: The Congress plans to move a breach of privilege motion against the Defence Minister and reiterated calls to scrap the Agnipath scheme.
• Who is affected: Families of fallen soldiers, the armed forces, and the Indian public are affected by the allegations of governmental opacity and politicization.

Operation Sindoor Controversy Intensifies

The Congress party has escalated its offensive against the Union government, demanding the resignation of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The demand stems from allegations that Mr. Singh misled Parliament regarding the casualties in the Operation Sindoor conducted in May 2025.

The party claims that six military personnel, including five from the Army and one from the Air Force, lost their lives during the operation. Congress alleges that the government deliberately concealed these deaths, denying the soldiers the public recognition and honour they deserved.

Allegations of Deception and Politicization

Addressing a press conference on Monday, June 29, 2026, Col. Rohit Chaudhry (Retd.), chairperson of the Congress’s Ex-servicemen Department, and Wing Commander Anuma Acharya (Retd.), accused the government of betrayal and politicizing the armed forces.

Wing Commander Acharya stated, "The Modi government, which politicises the army and soldiers, has repeatedly betrayed the country and the soldiers."

Col. Chaudhry further alleged that the BJP uses soldiers as election props and criticized MPs for clapping in Parliament when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh allegedly made false statements.

"When Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was lying in Parliament that no soldier had been martyred, BJP MPs were clapping. Rajnath Singh has insulted the country’s army and soldiers. We demand his resignation," Col. Chaudhry asserted.

Demands and Government's Defence

The Congress party has outlined several demands, including a public apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP MPs for supporting what they term Mr. Singh's 'lies'. They also reiterated their demand for the scrapping of the Agnipath recruitment scheme.

The controversy gained traction after the government recently inscribed the names of the martyred soldiers on the National War Memorial, more than 13 months after the operation concluded. The government has refuted the accusations, stating that tributes were paid at the "earliest opportunity" and the soldiers' memories honored with dignity.

Defence Ministry's Counter-Argument

The Defence Ministry has countered the Opposition's narrative, accusing critics of selectively quoting Mr. Singh's statement from July 2025. They maintain that such quotes are taken out of context to create a false impression that the Minister denied any soldier's death during Operation Sindoor.