Rajnath Singh and Sushma Swaraj to brief Oppn leaders on Kashmir, China

Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Sushma Swaraj will brief Opposition leaders on Friday on the situation in Kashmir and stand-off with China ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament.

Home Minister Singh and External Affairs Minister Swaraj extended the invitation to the leaders for a meeting at the former's residence on Friday evening where top officials will also be present.

The meeting comes ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament beginning Monday when Opposition leaders are preparing to put the government on the mat over the Kashmir situation and the face-off with China at at Doklam Plateau in western Bhutan.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee among others have strongly criticised the Narendra Modi-led government on both counts. Gandhi had questioned why Modi had not yet spoken up on the face-off. He also accused Modi of pursuing policies that created space for terrorists in Kashmir.

The Valley has been witnessing violence since July last year following the encounter killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani.

On the China issue, Swaraj will brief the leaders about the situation as well as the steps taken following the face-off started after Indian Army personnel went to Doklam Plateau, a disputed territory along Bhutan-China border, on June 18 to stop the Chinese PLA personnel from constructing a road. The road would have altered the status quo in India-Bhutan-China tri-junction boundary point.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and other senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs are likely to help External Affairs Minister brief the leaders of the opposition and other political parties.