Monitor News Desk
Calls for all-party meeting on June 19
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the “supreme sacrifice made by Indian soldiers during the clashes at the China order won’t go in vain.”
In a brief address to the nation in the issue, the Prime Minister said that India is capable of giving befitting reply if instigated.
“I would like to assure the nation that the sacrifice of our jawans will not be in vain. For us, the unity and sovereignty of the country is the most important. India wants peace but it is capable to give a befitting reply if instigated,” PM Modi said in his address.
“Whenever there was a situation, we have shown our strength to keep India united. We have tried that differences do not come between disputes,” the PM Modi said.
“The whole country is with the families of those who sacrificed their lives for the country. India will defend every stone, every inch of its territory. India is a peace loving country which has always tried to maintain cooperative and friendly relations with neighbours,” he said.
Right after giving the statement, the PM, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Chief Ministers of several states stood up in a two-minute silent tribute to the soldiers.
To mention, 20 soldiers of Indian Army including a Colonel were killed in action in a violent face-off with Chinese soldiers in the Galwan area on Monday night. This marked a sharp escalation in tensions between the two countries, who had reportedly been in the midst of a process of disengagement from their stand-off that began six weeks ago
All-party meeting on June 19 to discuss situation
In an attempt to forge a broad political consensus on the situation at the India-China border, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday called for an all-party meeting on June 19, Friday.
The decision to call an all-party meeting comes after protracted discussions at top-level Tuesday night and this morning. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had met the prime minister late Tuesday night where they were said to have been joined by Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Meanwhile, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said, “The martyrdom of 20 soldiers has shaken the conscience of the entire country. I pay tribute to the brave soldiers. There is outrage over this incident in the country, the Prime Minister should come out and tell the truth.”
“It’s a very serious situation as for the first time in 35-40 years, there have been deaths of troops on both sides. India will have to make reappraisal of its policy towards China and we’ll have to implement a recalibrated policy, foreign policy and defence policy, towards China,” Gautam Bambawale, Former Indian Ambassador to China told ANI.
