China border row will be resolved peacefully, opposition told

The ongoing border stand-off between India and China will be resolved peacefully and diplomatically, the government on Friday reportedly told opposition leaders here.

Leaders of 14 major opposition parties also told ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj that they were with the government on the issue of national security but added they had concerns which they would raise in Parliament.

The government had convened the meeting with opposition parties as well as allies ahead of the Parliament session beginning on Monday to brief them about the situation on the China border as well as in Jammu and Kashmir.

YSR Congress MP Rajamohan Reddy told reporters after the meeting that the government side assured the leaders that the military row with China "will be resolved peacefully and diplomatically".

The government told the leaders that Chinese activities in the Doklam sector were hurting Indian strategic interests.

China has repeatedly told India to withdraw its troops from the area for the month-long stand-off to end.

All the parties at the meeting condemned the July 10 terror attack on the Amarnath pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir that left seven people dead and nearly 20 injured.

The ministers insisted that the attack was not an outcome of any security lapse but it took place because the bus carrying the pilgrims was not registered with the authorities and moved much after the security forces had withdrawn from the area.

Among the parties which took part in the meeting were the Congress, the BJP, AIADMK, DMK, JD-U, Trinamool Congress, CPI-M, TRS, BSP, Samajwadi Party, YSR Congress, Shiv Sena and TDP.

--IANS

mak-bns-ps/vsc/mr