PM Modi should at least attend all-party meet on Thursday: Congress

The Congress on Wednesday said it expects Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “at least” be present at the all-party meeting convened by the government following Indian armed forces’ missile strikes at terror targets in Pakistan and PoK.

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will attend the all-party meeting on Thursday, the party said.

In retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian armed forces early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba’s base in Muridke. The government has convened an all-party meeting on Thursday to brief the nation's parliamentary representatives about the strike.

“We expect PM Modi to attend at least tomorrow’s all-party,” Congress Rajya Sabha MP and general-secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh told reporters.

“We had requested for the PM’s presence on 24 April but he did not attend. He should at least attend tomorrow,” Ramesh said, adding that Kharge and Gandhi would attend the meeting.

In a post on X, Ramesh also said India’s national policy is against all forms of terrorism emanating from Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is firm and unequivocal.

“We are proud of our Indian Armed Forces, who have carried out a bold and decisive operation — Operation Sindoor — targeting terrorist hideouts located in Pakistan and PoK. We salute their courage, determination, and patriotism.

“Since the day of the Pahalgam terror attack, the Indian National Congress has stood firmly with the Armed Forces and the government, unequivocally supporting any decisive action against cross-border terrorism,” he said.

“At this moment, national unity and solidarity are of utmost importance. The Indian National Congress stands firmly with our Armed Forces. Our leaders have always placed national interest above all and shown the country the path of unity and resolve,” the Congress leader said in his post.