On Thursday, the Congress party expressed its expectation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would chair an all-party meeting scheduled for that evening to discuss the recent Pahalgam terror attack. The party called for the Prime Minister to involve all political parties in the discussion and build a collective resolve. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh stated that his party had requested the meeting as early as the night of April 22, following the brutal attack, which resulted in the deaths of several tourists. The party urged that the severity of the situation and the national mood required a comprehensive dialogue among all political leaders.

Ramesh emphasized that, given the gravity of the incident and the national sentiment, the Prime Minister should take charge of the meeting, set for 6 PM, and ensure that all parties were consulted. The Centre plans to brief the leaders on the details of the Pahalgam attack and listen to their perspectives. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah are expected to provide the briefing, with Singh slated to chair the meeting. Official sources suggested that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar might also address the gathering, given the governments recent announcements of measures targeting Pakistan following the attack, which claimed the lives of at least 26 people, mostly tourists.

The decision to call the all-party meeting was made on Wednesday, following consultations between Singh and Shah and various political parties. Such all-party meetings have traditionally been convened after significant incidents with national security implications, as seen after the 2019 Pulwama terror attack and the 2020 India-China border standoff. These meetings are intended to build a united front and formulate a collective approach to national security challenges.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Business Standard.