Donald Trump's 'offer on Kashmir' irks government

File photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with US President Donald Trump in Japan. Pic/PTI

New Delhi: Opposition parties, led by the Congress, on Tuesday demanded a clarification from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on US President Donald Trump's stunning claim that the Indian leader had requested him to mediate in the Kashmir dispute. The Ministry of External Affairs has rejected Trump's remarks, made during his meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, that Modi had asked him to mediate in resolving the Kashmir issue with Pakistan. But it was not enough for the Opposition, which walked out of the Lok Sabha over the demand for the prime minister's response. The Rajya Sabha also saw frequent disruptions on the issue.

If Trump's claim that the Indian prime minister had asked him to mediate on the Kashmir issue is true, Modi had betrayed the interests of the country, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Twitter. Gandhi also asserted that a "weak" foreign ministry denial wouldn't do and the prime minister must tell the nation what transpired in the meeting between him and the US president His party welcomed the government's reiteration of India's 'no third party involvement' stand on the Kashmir issue but asked why Modi was "mum" over Trump's claim. The US president's remarks "relate to a meeting between him and PM Modi, wherein our PM had asked him to mediate", Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said in a tweet. "Why is PM 'mum' on what transpired between the two heads of states, more so when it affects our sovereignty?" Surjewala asked. Opposition leaders met in his colleague Ghulam Nabi Azad's chamber in Parliament and called for suspension of all business.

Rahul Gandhi

They also sought an explanation from the PM in both the Houses on Trump's statement. Flanked by Opposition leaders, including CPI's D Raja, NCP's Majeed Menon, DMK's Tiruchi Siva, SP's Ramgopal Yadav and AAP's Sanjay Singh, Azad told reporters outside Parliament that his party was ready to believe the prime minister's side of the story but he needed to clarify the issue on the floor of the House. Trump, he added, was unlikely to make these remarks in jest. "No matter which government was in power at Centre in past, our foreign policy has been that Kashmir is a bilateral issue and no third party can intervene and President Trump knows it... I don't think President Trump would tell Pakistan's PM that India's PM has asked the US to mediate," Azad said. "The US president is expected to know the complexity of the Kashmir issue, and also India's long-standing position that the dispute must be resolved bilaterally," he added.

The Trinamool Congress' Derek O'Brien also demanded a clarification from the prime minister "Along with all opposition parties, we, Trinamool, have a simple demand. The PM of India has to come to Parliament, make a statement and clear the air," O'Brien said. Trump claims that Modi asked him to mediate on the Kashmir issue when they met in Osaka, Japan, on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit last month. "If I can help, I would love to be a mediator. If I can do anything to help, let me know," Trump said in response to a question, adding he is ready to help, if the two countries ask for it. "I was with Prime Minister Modi two weeks ago and we talked about this subject (Kashmir). And he actually said, 'would you like to be a mediator or arbitrator?' I said, 'where?' (Modi said) 'Kashmir'," Trump said.

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