Modi reviews States’ preparedness, calls for ‘Team India’ effort amid West Asia crisis

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a virtual meeting with chief ministers to review preparedness in view of the West Asia conflict, stressing coordinated efforts between the Centre and states while urging vigilance against misinformation, hoarding and security threats

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday reviewed with chief ministers of all but poll-bound States their preparedness and plans in the wake of the West Asia conflict.

The virtual meeting was aimed at ensuring synergy of efforts in the spirit of ‘Team India’, official sources said.

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This is the first time that the Prime Minister held such a meeting with the chief ministers on the West Asia conflict which started on February 28 with the attack by the US-Israel on Iran. Iran also retaliated by firing on its Gulf neighbours and Israel.

The chief ministers who attended the meeting included N Chandra Babu Naidu (Andhra Pradesh), Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh), Revanth Reddy (Telangana), Bhagwant Mann (Punjab), Bhupendra Patel (Gujarat), Omar Abdullah (Jammu and Kashmir), Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (Himachal Pradesh), Pema Khandu (Arunachal Pradesh) among others.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah were also present in the meeting.

“The Prime Minister interacted with the chief ministers through video conferencing on the West Asia conflict and reviewed preparedness and plans of the States. The meeting focused on ensuring synergy of efforts in the spirit of Team India,” a source said.

The chief ministers of election-bound States were not part of this meeting due to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

The Cabinet Secretariat is going to hold a separate meeting with the chief secretaries of poll-bound Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry.

On March 25, the government held an all-party meeting to brief the leaders of the political parties about the West Asia situation, where a detailed presentation was given about the steps taken by the government to deal with the situation.

While making a statement in Lok Sabha on March 23, the prime minister had said that the difficult global conditions caused by the West Asia conflict are likely to persist for a long time and called upon the nation to remain prepared and united, just as it had stood together during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Modi also drew the attention of the House to the internal security dimension of the crisis, warning that certain elements attempt to exploit such situations. He said all security agencies have been placed on alert and that security across all domains, coastal, border, cyber and strategic installations is being further strengthened.

“Whether it is coastal security, border security, cyber security or strategic installations, the security of all is being reinforced,” he had said.

Urging patience, restraint and vigilance, and cautioning against those who may seek to exploit the situation by spreading falsehoods, engaging in black-marketing or hoarding, Modi appealed to all state governments to ensure strict monitoring and swift action against such elements.

Expressing his abiding faith in the collective resolve of the nation, the prime minister, in his speech in the Lok Sabha, also said that when every government and every citizen of this country walk together, “we can challenge every challenge, this is our identity, and this is our strength”.

Addressing a media event later on the same day, Modi said challenges have continued to mount one after another even after the COVID-19 pandemic and there has not been a single year that has not tested India and Indians.

“But with the united efforts of 1.4 billion Indians, India is moving forward while facing every disaster,” he said.

Modi said India is moving forward with renewed confidence and instead of postponing challenges, India confronts them head-on.