New Delhi: At least 20 political parties are likely to attend the all-party meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the situation at the border areas with China. The meeting is scheduled to be held at 5 pm today through video conferencing. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda will also be present in the virtual party meeting.
This is the first all-party meeting called by Modi after the death of 20 Indian soldiers in a violent face-off with Chinese troops at patrol point 14 on Monday night in Ladakh`s Galwan valley.
According to sources, former BJP chief Rajnath Singh had on Thursday personally invited all leaders on behalf of the Prime Minister. After coming in for criticism from parties such as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and RJD that they had not received any invitation to the meet, sources clarified that only recognised national parties, those with over five MPs in the Lok Sabha, leading parties from the Northeast and parties with Union Cabinet Ministers had been invited.
"In order to discuss the situation in the India-China border areas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for an all-party meeting at 5 pm on June 19. Presidents of various political parties would take part in this virtual meeting," PMO had tweeted.
The meeting was called after at least 20 Indian Army personnel, including a Colonel rank officer, lost their lives in a violent face-off with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley area of Ladakh on June 15 night.
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Rashtriya Janata Dal and AIMIM lashed out at PM Narendra Modi and BJP for being snubbed from the all-party meet on the crucial issue, based on their negligible parliamentary presence.
The AAP, which has 4 MPs, accused the central government of political arrogance when it should seek cooperation.
The RJD has 80 MLAs in Bihar and is also the single-largest party in the state. It has five MPs in the Rajya Sabha. Venting out its anger at the Centre for not being invited to the meet, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav tweeted, "Dear @DefenceMinIndia @PMOIndia, Just wish to know the criteria for inviting political parties for tomorrow's #AllPartyMeet on #GalwanValley. I mean the grounds of inclusion/exclusion. Because our party @RJDforIndia hasn't received any message so far."
