Rajnath, Sushma to meet Oppn over J&K, China stand-off

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will brief Opposition leaders on the situation in Kashmir and the stand-off with China on Friday. 

The meeting, to be held at Singh’s residence, comes ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament, beginning Monday, when Opposition leaders are preparing to put the government on the mat over the Kashmir situation and the face-off with China at Doklam Plateau in western Bhutan.

Sources said the government does not want to keep the Opposition in the dark over the issues as it does not want Parliament to be disrupted.

The Opposition has also upped the ante on several other issues, including the terror strike on Amarnath pilgrims on Monday. It has  criticised the government’s strategy in Kashmir, and has been asking all stakeholders be involved in bringing back peace in the state.

Rahul Gandhi, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, among others, have strongly criticised the Narendra Modi-led government on both counts.

Rahul had even questioned Modi’s silence on the stand-off issue. He accused Modi of pursuing policies that created space for terrorists in Kashmir.

However, the ruling BJP defended the government, saying the policies pursued by the Congress are responsible for the recent incidents.

Singh will brief the leaders about the steps taken by the government to ensure security in Jammu and Kashmir. He will also inform them about the visit of two Union ministers to the Valley as well as the instructions given to the forces to intensify anti-militant operations following the killing of seven Amarnath pilgrims.

The Valley has been witnessing violence since July last year following the encounter killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.

On the China front, Sushma will brief the gathering about the steps taken following the face-off that started after Indian Army personnel went to Doklam Plateau, a disputed territory along the Bhutan-China border, on June 18 to stop the Chinese PLA personnel from constructing a road.