New Delhi (India) March 25:The Central government has organized an all-party meeting to discuss the West Asia crisis today. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is chairing the meeting that started at 5 PM at the Parliament complex.
This discussion is taking place at a moment when tension in the Middle East is increasing, which has led to the closure of important maritime routes and has also raised worries about the safety of Indian citizens in the Gulf countries. 

Key Attendees include Shah, Jaishankar

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kyren Rijiju, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri are attending the meeting.
Besides these, leaders of other parties such as Lallan Singh (JDU), Mukul Wasnik, and Tariq Anwar, Dharmendra Yadav from SP, and John Brittas from CPIM have also come. 

Modi Calls Crisis a Big Test

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked for a joint response from the Centre and states to handle challenges due to the West Asia conflict and said this situation is a major test for the country.
Talking about the impact of the crisis on the domestic front, Modi also pointed out that state governments will have a leading role in controlling its consequences.
“In the coming times, this crisis will be a major test for our country, and the cooperation of states will be crucial for success. Therefore, through this House, I would like to make a few requests to all state governments,” he said.

Kharge Demands Parliament Debate

Some opposition leaders have asked for the necessity for a separate meeting. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge expressed that the matter deserves to be debated in the Parliament rather than in a closed-door session. Many leaders are present at the meeting, but some even decide not to come. Trinamool Congress members are not attending the gathering because they asked why a full discussion is not taking place in the Parliament.

Rahul Skips Due to Sonia's Health Issue

Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi told on Tuesday that due to his prior commitment of attending a function in Kerala, he would not be able to join the all-party meeting. However, Gandhi's trip to Kerala has been canceled as a recent concern about Sonia Gandhi's health prompted a change of plan. She is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Delhi.

BJP Urges Opposition Unity

On the other hand, government faction leaders have here urged unity by saying that this is a time when all the parties should be together considering the global crisis. BJP MP Shashank Mani supported the collective effort appeal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The opposition should work responsibly. Prime Minister Modi has said that everyone's efforts are needed in this. This disaster is not of our making but has come from outside. So we should work together on this,” Mani said.