Oppn asks govt to explain Trump's Kashmir remark

July 23, 2019 07:48

Taking exception to US President Donald Trump's offer to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, the opposition demanded that the Modi government should clarify whether there has been a shift in India's position on third party involvement in the matter.

Trump on Monday offered to be the "mediator" between the two countries on the Kashmir issue as he met Prime Minister Imran Khan at the White House for the first time.

Trump said that he is ready to help, if the two countries ask.

However, India denied Trump's claim that Modi had asked him to mediate in resolving the Kashmir issue with Pakistan.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted, "We have seen @POTUS's remarks to the press that he is ready to mediate, if requested by India & Pakistan, on Kashmir issue. No such request has been made by PM @narendramodi to US President."

Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said India has never accepted third party mediation in Jammu and Kashmir.

"To ask a foreign power to mediate in J&K by PM Modi is a sacrilegious betrayal of country's interests. Let PM answer to the Nation!" he tweeted.

"I honestly don't think Trump has the slightest idea of what he's talking about. He has either not been briefed or not understood what (Prime Minister) Modi was saying or what India's position is on 3rd-party mediation. That said, MEA should clarify that Delhi has never sought his intercession," senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor tweeted.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Monday wondered whether the Indian government will call the US president a liar or there has been a shift in India's position on third party involvement in dispute.

"Personally I think @realDonaldTrump is talking out of his hat when he says @PMOIndia asked for US involvement in solving the Kashmir issue but I'd like to see @MEAIndia call Trump out on his claim," Abdullah tweeted.

CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury asked whether "our twitter-friendly PM" has the courage to rebut the US President who has made a public statement.

Pakistan's Imran Khan welcomed Trump's remarks and said if the US agrees, prayers of more than a billion people will be with him.

-- PTI

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