Amid the ongoing border standoff with China, the central government convened a meeting on Friday with all the leading political parties in the country to come to a unanimous decision to resolve the month-long standoff with Beijing. The parties reportedly backed the government's approach to deal the issue in a diplomatic and peaceful manner.
The Centre, in response to the opposition leaders' call for using "active diplomatic channels", said that it has already engaged in negotiations with China to ease the tension in Sikkim sector's Doklam region.
The government on Friday briefed the political leaders about the Chinese incursion on the disputed region as the tensions between the two countries escalated in the past month over the Sikkim standoff. Doklam is located at a strategically important tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan.
India has said that it is "deeply concerned" at the recent Chinese actions in the region and that the road construction would represent a significant change in status quo with serious security implications.
As the situation has worsened between the countries over the border dispute, the opposition parties in the country have criticised the government for not taking them into confidence on issues related to national interest and security.
At the all-party meeting at union home minister Rajnath Singh's residence, foreign secretary S Jaishankar and home secretary Rajeev Mehrishi made a detailed presentation on the border issue between India and China, and also the militant attack on Amarnath yatra pilgrims which happened on Monday.
Jaishankar, during the meeting, reportedly said that China is attempting to change the status quo along its southern border. He also said that diplomatic process has been initiated to resolve one of the longest border standoff between the countries in recent times, according to Hindustan Times reports.
During the meeting, the former defence minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, who represented the Samajwadi Party at the meeting, said the government needs to be careful about dealing with China.
While Congress' Anand Sharma and CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury fired questions about what really triggered the standoff between the nations.
"We said that on issues of national security and integrity of the country, we are with the government," Trinamool leader Derek O'Brien said.
Shiv Sena, however, took an aggressive stand at the meeting and asked the Centre to act instead of "merely talking."
Defence minister Arun Jaitley, home minister Rajnath Singh and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and national security adviser Ajit Doval were present at the meeting.
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