Congress slams Modi over Trump’s mediation offer on Kashmir, asks why PM is mum

The Congress along with other opposition parties demandedthat Prime Minister Narendra Modi should clarify whether there has been a shiftin India’s position of no third party involvement in the Kashmir issue after USPresident Donald Trump offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on thematter.

Trump’s offer to mediate on the Kashmir issue came as he metPrime Minister Imran Khan at the White House where the two leaders discussed ahost of issues.

   

India denied Trump’s claim that Modi had asked him to mediatein resolving the Kashmir issue with Pakistan.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumartweeted, “We have seen @POTUS’s remarks to the press that he is ready tomediate, if requested by India & Pakistan, on Kashmir issue. No suchrequest has been made by PM @narendramodi to US President.”

Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Indiahas never accepted third party mediation in Jammu and Kashmir.

To ask a foreign power to mediate in J&K by PM Modi is asacrilegious betrayal of country’s interests. Let PM answer to theNation!,” he tweeted.

In another tweet, Surjewala said it is “deeplydisturbing and distressing” the claim by Trump that PM Modi made a”request to him for mediation on Kashmir”.

“No Indian PM has ever dared to breach the cardinalprinciple of ‘no third party mediation’ in terms of 1972 Simla Agreement.Why isPM mum?” he said.

Kumar, in another tweet, said it has been India’s consistentposition that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are discussed only bilaterally.

“Any engagement with Pakistan would require an end tocross border terrorism. The Shimla Agreement & the Lahore Declarationprovide the basis to resolve all issues between India & Pakistanbilaterally,” he said.

Trump, who is known to make inaccurate statements, claimedthat Modi asked him to mediate on the Kashmir issue.

“I honestly don’t think Trump has the slightest idea ofwhat 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-partymediation. That said, MEA should clarify that Delhi has never sought hisintercession,” senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor tweeted earlier.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and NationalConference leader Omar Abdullah on Monday wondered whether the Indiangovernment will call the US President a liar or there has been a shift inIndia’s position on third party involvement in dispute.

“Personally I think @realDonaldTrump is talking out ofhis hat when he says @PMOIndia asked for US involvement in solving the Kashmirissue but I’d like to see @MEAIndia call Trump out on his claim,” Abdullahtweeted.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury asked whether”our twitter-friendly PM” has the courage to rebut the US presidentwho has made a public statement.

“What does this say about our long-held position ofsovereignty over the Indian state of J&K, as defined in the SimlaAgreement?” he said.

“India has always maintained its a bilateral issue,with no scope for third-party interference. What is this government upto?”Yechury asked.

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

India maintains that the Kashmir issue is a bilateral oneand no third party has any role.

India has not been engaging with Pakistan since an attack onthe Air Force base at Pathankot in January of 2016, maintaining that talks andterror cannot go together.

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