June 19, 2020: The all-party meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the situation in Ladakh on Friday saw leaders of major political parties putting across their views on the sensitive issue.
The virtual meeting began with participants paying tributes to the 20 Indian soldiers martyred in the violent face-off with Chinese troops in East Ladakh earlier this week.
Prime Minister Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar were seen standing in silence as a mark of respect for the fallen army men.
Singh and Jaishankar spoke on the stand-off at the meeting, according to early visuals.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi, NCP leader Sharad Pawar, TRS leader K Chandrashekhar Rao, JD (U) leader Nitish Kumar, DMK’s M K Stalin, YSR Congress Party’s YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray were among those who attended the meeting.
The government had invited leaders of twenty political parties for the meet.
Opposition parties, including the Congress, had been asking the government to be transparent about the situation on the border and slammed its handling of the issue.
Modi had asserted that the sacrifice of Indian soldiers will not go in vain.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had said that Indian soldiers displayed exemplary courage and valour in the line of duty and sacrificed their lives in the highest traditions of the Indian Army.