Will leave no stone unturned: Narendra Modi says in the wake of Ladakh clash

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tonight said that the country's armed forces have been given a free reign to take necessary steps to deal with the situation in Ladakh as he secured the backing of all opposition parties.

"20 jawans did die but they taught a lesson to those who had their eyes on India," Modi told an all-party virtual meeting in New Delhi.

Modi assured the opposition leaders that the Indian armed forces are leaving no stone unturned to protect the country.

"Be it deployment, action or counter action, through land, sea or air, our forces are taking the necessary steps to protect the country," he said.

Modi said India today "has such capability that no one can even dare look towards an inch of our land."

He said while on the one hand, the army has been given freedom to take necessary steps, India has also conveyed its position clearly to China through diplomatic means.

Congress party President Sonia Gandhi, the first opposition leader to speak at the meeting, however, was sharply critical of the government for keeping the country "in the dark even at this late stage".

"We have some specific questions, for the government: On which date did the Chinese troops intrude into our territory in Ladakh? When did the government find out about the Chinese transgressions into our territory? Was it on May 5th, as reported, or earlier? Does the government not receive, on a regular basis, satellite pictures of the borders of our country?" the Congress chief asked.

She said the country wants assurance from the government that status quo ante will be restored along the de facto border with China, and Beijing will revert to its original position.

"We failed to use all avenues of talks to ease Line of Actual Control tension, lost valuable time, and the result was the loss of 20 lives," Sonia said, adding "Was there a failure of intelligence?"

"This meeting, in my view, should have come sooner and immediately after the government had been reportedly informed about the Chinese intrusion on May 5 into several places in Ladakh and elsewhere," Sonia said.

"As always, the entire nation would have stood together like a rock and fully supported the government of the day in the steps required to defend the territorial integrity of the country. Alas, that was not to be. In fact, even at this late stage, we are still in the dark about many crucial aspects of the crisis," she said.

However, Sonia wrapped up her speech with the assertion that her party and the entire opposition "unitedly stand by our defence forces."

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also questioned whether there was an intelligence failure.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who along with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar briefed the all-party meeting, said there was no intelligence failure.

Mamata said the all-party meeting today was a good message for the nation and showed that "we are united behind our jawans". She said her Trinamool Congress party stood strongly in solidarity with the government.

"We will not say anything that sends a wrong message. Queries also we will raise internally. India will win, China will lose. Speak with unity. Think with unity. Work with unity," she said.

Mamata said India should not allow entry of Chinese firms in telecom, railway and aviation sectors.

The violent brawl at Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh was the worst confrontation between India and China since 1967 in Nathu La.

Some 76 Indian soldiers were injured as the Chinese assaulted them with hand-made weapons like spiked clubs, rods wrapped in barbed wire and rocks on Monday, according to various news reports.