Mani Shankar Aiyar says there is no need for third country mediation in matters related to Kashmir. (File)
As the standoff between Indian and Chinese forces continues in the Doklam area of Arunachal Pradesh emerging as a major diplomatic challenge on a daily basis, Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar expressed his displeasure over Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah’s suggestion that Pakistan and China could be asked to mediate in resolving the Kashmir issue. Talking to news agency ANI, Aiyar on Tuesday said he does not agree with the former CM and that there should be no third-party intervention in the matter.
Taking the line of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Aiyar said, “I don’t agree with him (Farooq Abdullah), no third country’s mediation is needed.” Earlier Rahul Gandhi had said, “Ye humara internal matter, business hai aur iss mein kisi ka kuch lena dena nahi hai (It’s our internal matter and no one has to do anything with it).” Gandhi went on to add: “Kashmir is India and India is Kashmir.”
Aiyar’s statement is preceded by NC president Farooq Abdullah’s who had expressed that the problem between India and Pakistan can be solved through dialogue. “You have to catch the bull by the horns, sometimes you have to do it.” Hinting that foreign nations could be called in to take forward the dialogue process, Abdullah said, “Trump himself said I want to settle Kashmir problem, we didn’t ask them to. China too said they want to mediate in Kashmir.”
Quoting former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s, Abdullah had said friends can be changed, but not neighbours, the NC leader said that arrogance and stubbornness would not let any of the nations progress and develop.
