Modi calls for all-party meeting on border issue

Web Desk

In an attempt to forge a broad political consensus on the situation at the India-China border, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 17 called an all-party meeting on June 19. The move comes a day after the Army disclosed that 20 military personnel, including a colonel-rank officer, were killed in the worst flare-up on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The decision to call an all-party meeting comes after protracted discussions at top-level on June 16 night and June 17 morning. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had met the Prime Minister late on June 16 and were joined by Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The BJP government has come under severe criticism from the Opposition for not taking them as well as the country into confidence on the developments in Ladakh.

The violent faceoff in Galwan Valley is unprecedented in nature and has huge strategic and diplomatic implications. The government would want a greater political consensus if it plans to move ahead to meet the challenge in the present and future.

20 Indian soldiers killed in Ladakh