On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired an all-party virtual meeting after the deadliest clash between India and China in eastern Ladakh that killed at least twenty Indian army personnel.
In the meeting, Telangana Chief Minister, K. Chandrashekar Rao said, “[PM’s] clarity on Kashmir has angered China. PM’s emphasis on Kashmir’s development has also angered China,” reported news agency, Asian News International (ANI). “He stressed that PM’s call of Atmanirbhar Bharat [self-reliant] has rattled China.”
The meeting was attended by twenty political parties, including Congress. The Congress president, Sonia Gandhi said that the meeting should have happened much earlier. “Even at this late stage we are in the dark. Congress has specific questions,” said Ms. Gandhi. “What date did Chinese troops intrude? When did the government find out about the transgressions? Does the government not get satellite pictures? Did intelligence not report about unusual activity?”
Majority of the party representatives supported PM Modi and asserted that India should stand together.
Right-wing political party, Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray said, “India wants peace but that doesn’t mean we are weak. China’s nature is betrayal. India is Mazboot not Majboor. Our government has the ability to – Aankhien Nikalkar Haath Me de dena.”
The meeting was underway when this report was filed.